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Netherlands May Drop Control of Nexperia If China Resumes Chip Exports

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The Dutch government is reportedly prepared to end its control over Nexperia if China resumes exports of the company’s chips, potentially easing tensions that have rattled global supply chains, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg said authorities in the Netherlands could suspend the ministerial order as soon as next week, provided shipments from China resume and are verified. The order, imposed on September 30, gave The Hague temporary veto powers over Nexperia’s corporate decisions amid concerns about Chinese influence over the semiconductor maker.

Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans said on Thursday he expected Nexperia chips to reach European and global customers “in the coming days.” He added that the government would “support these developments, and take appropriate steps where necessary.”

A spokesperson for Karremans declined to clarify whether those steps could include lifting the intervention, which was initially designed to safeguard Dutch strategic interests in the semiconductor sector.

The dispute erupted after the Chinese government blocked exports of Nexperia’s products from the country in early October, following the Dutch seizure of control. The move sparked a global shortage of Nexperia chips, which are widely used in automotive, industrial, computing, and consumer electronics.

The disruption forced several European carmakers to scale back production and furlough workers. Industry analysts say restoring chip flows is critical to stabilizing supply chains and preventing further economic fallout.

Nexperia, which was acquired by China’s Wingtech Technology, has yet to comment on the Dutch government’s latest position.

Automakers warn Nexperia chip dispute could hit U.S. production within weeks

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A U.S. automaker group representing companies including General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Hyundai warned Thursday that the ongoing chip supply disruption involving Dutch firm Nexperia could soon halt vehicle production in the United States.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation said the issue stems from a trade and ownership dispute between the Dutch government and China, which has forced Nexperia to halt guaranteed deliveries of crucial automotive semiconductors.

“If the shipment of automotive chips doesn’t resume – quickly – it’s going to disrupt auto production in the U.S. and many other countries and have a spillover effect in other industries,” said John Bozzella, the group’s CEO.

Some automakers told Reuters that U.S. production lines could be affected as early as next month, although they declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The dispute escalated after the Dutch government seized control of Nexperia on September 30, citing national security concerns over its Chinese owner, Wingtech. The move followed U.S. pressure to curb potential technology transfers and the Chinese commerce ministry’s export controls restricting shipments of Nexperia-made components.

Nexperia’s chips, while not the most advanced, are vital to car manufacturing and electronic component assembly. Analysts warn that even short-term supply interruptions could ripple across global production lines.

European automakers have also raised alarms. The ACEA, Europe’s car industry body, said the situation could lead to “significant disruption” across manufacturing networks if not resolved quickly.

Lenovo Views U.S.-China Tariff Pause as Positive Amid AI Growth

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Chinese PC maker Lenovo (0992.HK) said Thursday that the recent tariff pause between the U.S. and China is a positive development and highlighted strong growth in China’s AI infrastructure despite ongoing tech tensions.

“The truce is a positive situation,” Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing told Reuters following the release of the company’s fiscal first-quarter results. “We feel better than the previous quarter — it brings more certainty rather than uncertainty.”

The U.S. and China have extended a tariff pause for another 90 days until November, avoiding triple-digit duties on each other’s goods and providing temporary relief to businesses.

Lenovo reported total revenue of $18.8 billion for the three months ending June 30, up 22% year-on-year and surpassing analysts’ forecast of $17.4 billion, according to LSEG data. Yang attributed the growth to strong AI demand across the company’s three main business segments, each of which achieved double-digit growth.

Despite a 30% U.S. levy on Chinese exports, including PCs, Lenovo’s CEO noted that the U.S. represents less than 20% of the company’s total revenue, and tariffs have so far had minimal impact thanks to Lenovo’s global manufacturing network. Net profit attributable to shareholders more than doubled year-on-year to $505 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $307.7 million.

AI PCs represented over 30% of Lenovo’s PC shipments in the first quarter, while the AI server business surged 150% amid strong domestic demand. “We see a strong pipeline in AI servers,” Yang said.

China has recently advised major internet firms to be cautious when purchasing Nvidia H20 chips and to consider domestic alternatives, following the U.S. approval to resume H20 chip sales to China. Yang highlighted Lenovo’s investment in diversifying its supply chain and developing local component products to meet varied customer needs.

Lenovo shares dropped more than 3% in early trading Thursday, underperforming the Hang Seng Index, which rose 0.4%. However, the stock has gained 15% over the past three months, outpacing the benchmark.