【By Observer Net, Yuan Jiaqi】

The Dutch government recklessly instigated the "Nexperia incident" and set a bad precedent, with the U.S. hand already clearly exposed. While China is making every effort to de-escalate tensions in a responsible manner, some American politicians are still eager for chaos, inciting trouble and deliberately interfering.

Senior member of the so-called "U.S.-China Strategic Competition Special Committee", Raja Krishnamoorthi, once again stirred up trouble. According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, on November 11, this Democratic Congressman from Illinois wrote a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Brian Montgomery, demanding an explanation about whether the Trump administration coordinated with the Netherlands and EU allies when reaching the trade agreement that allowed Nexperia's Chinese factory to resume shipments.

According to the report, in a letter dated "November 10", Krishnamoorthi questioned, "Was the opinion of allied governments consulted before the announcement of the agreement?" He claimed that on October 31, when EU senior officials contacted Nexperia (Netherlands) management and Chinese trade representatives, "they seemed unaware of the breakthrough progress mentioned in the reports."

The letter mentions that when Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission Executive Vice President for Technology Sovereignty, was asked about the situation, she refused to disclose whether she was aware of the U.S.-China negotiations, "which shows that Brussels was not informed of the progress of White House talks with China."

Although it was the EU who kept out of the issue, Krishnamoorthi was impatient. He criticized, "In the current increasingly fierce competition over semiconductor supply and industrial security, there is a lack of transparency and coordination between Washington and Brussels."

He even almost admitted without hesitation, "What measures is the U.S. taking to ensure that future trade and export control negotiations with major allies like the Netherlands on semiconductor supply chains are consistent, avoiding unilateral actions that may harm collective security goals?"

According to the report, Krishnamoorthi also dug deep into the question, asking whether the resumption of Nexperia chip exports after the U.S.-China agreement came from the company's Chinese factory or its European operations.

The letter cited news reports stating that "the most advanced production lines are currently located in China, which means that its Dutch factory may soon be phased out." He then expressed unwarranted concerns, "If this is true, the global automotive industry may soon be using chips entirely made in China, which would raise a series of national and economic security concerns."

Krishnamoorthi was particularly concerned about whether the U.S. agreed to suspend the implementation of its 50% penetration rule announced on September 29 for a year, "to a large extent due to China's strategic influence over Nexperia's business in China?"

Hong Kong media interpreted that his questions actually implied that the U.S. is worried about China's ability to use chips as leverage in the future. So far, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Dutch government have not responded to this letter.

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An EU Commission spokesperson, Olof Gill, said, "We will not go beyond our previously publicly stated position, that Commissioner Vestager has always and will continue to maintain close communication with U.S. counterparts on all issues of common concern, including China's export controls and the Nexperia issue."

Notably, the chip "supply disruption" sparked by the Netherlands'抢夺 of Nexperia Semiconductor is gradually cooling down because of China's responsible handling. Reuters reported on the 9th that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce emphasized that it had taken concrete measures to exempt relevant exports used for civilian purposes, which is the strongest signal from China so far to alleviate pressure on car manufacturers.

On August 8, EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic also posted on the social media platform X, stating that China has agreed to lift the strict licensing requirements previously implemented, allowing the resumption of key chip supplies to the European automotive industry, provided that the buyers commit to using these semiconductor products only for civilian purposes.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof also revealed this information during a meeting at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Brazil.

He told Bloomberg that the resolution was the result of cooperation between the Netherlands, Germany, and the European Commission, as well as recent diplomatic talks between the Netherlands and China and the easing of U.S.-China trade tensions.

Recently, German and Japanese automotive industry executives have confirmed that Nexperia has resumed the shipment of some key chips. There are signs of easing in the dispute over corporate control in the automotive industry, and Germany welcomed this.

"The easing of the situation between the Netherlands and China and the continuation of negotiations are very reassuring," said a spokesperson for the German Ministry of Economics. The ministry still hopes that "individual permits may be quickly issued to the industry," enabling the resumption of Nexperia chip supplies. German Chancellor Merkel also said that there are positive signals indicating that deliveries may restart, "possibly within the next few hours."

On November 8, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that it had agreed to the Dutch government's request to send representatives to China for discussions, and expressed hope that the Dutch side would present a "constructive plan" and take "concrete actions" to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.

On November 11, Minister of Commerce Wang Wenbao held a video conference with German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck, exchanging views on trade and economic issues between China, Germany, and the EU.

Wang Wenbao reiterated that the root cause of the Nexperia Semiconductor issue is the Dutch government's improper intervention in internal company affairs, and the responsibility for the global semiconductor supply chain turbulence and confusion lies with the Dutch side. China, in a responsible manner, has made every effort, exempting exports that meet the conditions, and alleviating the pressure on the global supply chain in the short term. However, to ensure the long-term stability of the global semiconductor supply chain, the Dutch side needs to show a constructive attitude and take concrete actions. The Chinese side hopes that Germany will play an active role, urging the Dutch government to take concrete actions as soon as possible, correct its mistakes, revoke the relevant measures, and promote the early resolution of the issue.

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