By St�phanie HAMEL
Amsterdam (AFP) Feb 11, 2026
A Dutch courtroom on Wednesday ordered a proper investigation into alleged mismanagement at Nexperia, a Chinese language-owned chip agency on the centre of a world tug-of-war over vital semiconductor know-how.
The agency, primarily based within the Netherlands however whose guardian firm is China’s Wingtech, has been the topic of a standoff between Beijing and the West, which threatened to hobble automobile producers that depend on its chips.
“(The courtroom) finds that there are legitimate causes to doubt the sound coverage and conduct of enterprise at Nexperia and orders an investigation,” mentioned the Amsterdam-based Enterprise Chamber in a press release.
The investigation is anticipated to take a number of months.
The courtroom had beforehand performed a key half within the row over Nexperia in October when it suspended the Chinese language CEO Zhang Xuezheng, often known as Wing, citing issues over his administration.
These measures stay in pressure with the opening of the probe, the courtroom mentioned.
“The director stays suspended. The appointment of a short lived director at Nexperia and the switch of the shares in Nexperia stay in impact,” mentioned the courtroom in a press release.
The courtroom discovered there was “negligent conduct involving a battle of curiosity.”
As well as, the courtroom mentioned Wing modified the agency’s technique with out consulting the opposite board members, refused to honour agreements with Dutch officers and crimped the powers of European Nexperia executives.
– ‘Scorched earth’ coverage –
Throughout hearings final month within the courtroom, attorneys for Nexperia accused Wingtech of a “scorched earth” coverage in its bid to wrest management of the corporate.
One of many agency’s attorneys, Jeroen van der Schrieck, mentioned Wingtech was “doing the whole lot to destabilise Nexperia, already underneath strain from a disaster scenario”.
Wingtech representatives responded that the Dutch intervention was “incomprehensible” and meant the row “degenerated needlessly”.
Wing didn’t attend final month’s hearings. His lawyer mentioned the case had taken a toll on his well being and he didn’t really feel robust sufficient to look in particular person.
Along with the courtroom order, the Dutch state waded into the row, utilizing a Chilly Warfare-era regulation for the primary time to successfully seize management of the corporate.
This sparked fury in Beijing, which responded by banning re-exports of the agency’s chips. The chips are despatched to China for ending earlier than being shipped to prospects.
Carmakers warned of main manufacturing issues because the elements are vital to onboard electronics.
China softened its stance in November, reportedly as a part of a commerce deal agreed by President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump.
In response, the Dutch authorities suspended its proposed takeover, taking a number of the warmth out of the row.
The agency is not any stranger to regulatory issues within the West.
America put Wingtech on one among its “entity lists” final December, that means the federal government believed it was appearing towards US nationwide safety and overseas coverage pursuits.
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