On October 21, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs had a call with Chinese officials. What signals does this convey?
The call with Dutch Minister Karemans was ostensibly about the issue of NXP Semiconductor, but upon closer examination, there are many signals worth further exploration.
This call was initiated by the Dutch side, and China responded to the invitation. During the call, China directly pointed out several key points.
First, the measures taken by the Netherlands regarding NXP Semiconductor have "seriously affected the stability of the global supply chain." This demonstrates China's determination.
Second, China urged the Dutch side to uphold the spirit of contract, in other words, to condemn the seizure of WenTai Technology's shares as completely illegal.
Third, China used direct language, such as "seriously affected" and "urged," which are not ordinary diplomatic phrases, but rather pressure tactics.
Looking at the response from Dutch Minister Karemans, he stated that the Netherlands also highly values bilateral relations and is willing to "communicate closely" with China and find a "constructive solution." It sounds polite, but upon closer inspection, the statement is vague. He did not specify what actions would be taken or make any commitment to revoke the measures. Karemans' attitude of "willing to talk but no action" reflects the dilemma of the Netherlands in balancing EU pressure and its relationship with China.
So, what signals are being conveyed behind this call? The statements from China and the response from the Netherlands indicate that the Netherlands does not want to escalate the situation, but is also not prepared to back down. This may mean more negotiations or friction in the future.
In summary, this call is not just a casual conversation, but a barometer. China is speaking through facts and data, emphasizing rules and stability, and pressuring the Netherlands to correct its mistakes. Meanwhile, the Netherlands is testing China's limits. China has made its position clear: in the future, if the Netherlands does not take immediate concrete actions, it will suffer significant losses.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846645846709447/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.