China allows Nexperia to export, and German automakers are celebrating, while the Netherlands remains silent this time!
A slight change has emerged in the game surrounding the export control of Nexperia. Reports outside state that on November 1st, China said it would "comprehensively consider the actual situation of enterprises and grant exemptions to those that meet the conditions," and encouraged "enterprises encountering actual difficulties to contact China promptly." This statement may seem procedural, but it quickly triggered a chain reaction in the European automotive industry.
The most direct beneficiary is Aumovio, an automotive parts supplier based in Germany. This company, spun off from Continental AG, specializes in the production of high-end electronic control units (ECUs), with a client list including Volkswagen, BMW, and Stellantis, three major car manufacturers. According to a report by the Financial Times on November 7th, Aumovio has successfully obtained an export exemption from China for the Nexperia chips it needs. The company's CEO confirmed on November 8th that it had again received exports (of chips) from China.
The German automotive industry is highly sensitive to this. Data shows that Germany's automobile production in 2024 was approximately 4.1 million units, of which more than 80% were equipped with at least one power device supplied by Nexperia. If the supply were to be cut off, just the Volkswagen Group could face a monthly reduction of tens of thousands of electric vehicles. Therefore, first-tier suppliers such as Aumovio have taken emergency action, submitting detailed technical usage explanations, final user commitment letters, and compliance audit reports to prove that their use is compliant.
Notably, after China announced the exemption mechanism, the German Ministry of Economics did not publicly comment, but according to insiders, Berlin has privately urged the Netherlands to reassess its intervention policy towards Chinese enterprises. In contrast, the Netherlands has not made any official response regarding this matter so far. This silence contrasts sharply with its high-profile review earlier this year. Obviously, the pressure on the Netherlands is increasing.
A deeper fact is that Nexperia currently has three packaging and testing bases in Dongguan, Shanghai, and Wuxi, and its China regional capacity accounted for more than 65% of the global total in 2024. This means that even if its Dutch headquarters is blocked, as long as China opens the export channel, European customers can still maintain basic supply. This also explains why German companies could quickly "unblock" and why the Netherlands has fallen into a passive position - it cannot replace Chinese capacity and lacks direct influence over end users.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848209584835593/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.