BUSINESS

Exclusive: Wingtech Chair Vows to Regain Control of Nexperia After 100-Day Standoff

Published: Jan. 9, 2026 7:02 p.m. GMT+8

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Wingtech Technology Chairwoman Ruby Yang Mu. Photo: Wingtech

More than 100 days after Dutch authorities froze Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd.’s core overseas asset, the fate of its Dutch subsidiary, Nexperia Holding BV, remains unresolved, turning what was once a commercial acquisition into a test case in the widening geopolitical struggle over semiconductors.

What began in late September as a regulatory response to new U.S. export controls has spiraled into a rare confrontation between the Chinese parent company, the Dutch government and Nexperia’s own management. Control of the company has been stripped from its Chinese owner and placed under court supervision. Chinese and European operations have effectively split, and global supply chains — particularly in the auto sector — have been disrupted. On Jan. 14, a Dutch court will hold a second hearing that could shape the future of Nexperia.

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Explore the story in 30 seconds

Dutch authorities froze Nexperia, Wingtech's Dutch subsidiary, amid geopolitical tensions over semiconductors, splitting Chinese and European operations and disrupting supply chains.
A Dutch court suspended Chinese management and placed Nexperia under court supervision, prompting Wingtech to pursue legal actions and seek up to $8 billion in damages.
Disputes center on control, governance, and technology transfer concerns; Nexperia's performance improved significantly under Wingtech, but supply chain fragmentation continues.

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Explore the story in 3 minutes

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Who’s Who

Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd.: Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd. is a Chinese technology company whose core overseas asset, Nexperia Holding BV, has been frozen by Dutch authorities, leading to a geopolitical struggle over semiconductors. Wingtech's Chairwoman, Ruby Yang Mu, describes the situation as a "rare confrontation" with the Dutch government, resulting in the Chinese parent company losing control of Nexperia.

Nexperia Holding BV: Nexperia Holding BV is a Dutch semiconductor company and a core overseas asset of Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd. Its fate is currently uncertain due to a geopolitical struggle over semiconductors. Dutch authorities froze Nexperia's operations in late September 2025, stripping control from Wingtech and placing it under court supervision. This intervention has led to operational splits, supply chain disruptions, and a major dispute between Wingtech and the Dutch government, with ongoing legal battles.

Wentianxia Technology: Wentianxia Technology is a Chinese entity controlled by Wingtech's chairman, Zhang, and the controlling shareholder of Wingtech. It invested in Dingtai Jiangxin, a wafer fabrication plant with a planned investment of $1.7 billion and an annual capacity of 360,000 wafers. This arrangement allowed Wingtech to avoid heavy depreciation on its balance sheet.

Dingtai Jiangxin: Dingtai Jiangxin is a 12-inch wafer fab with a total planned investment of 12 billion yuan ($1.7 billion) and an annual capacity of 360,000 wafers. It is controlled by Wentianxia Technology, which is owned by Wingtech's controlling shareholder. Nexperia uses Dingtai Jiangxin for wafer production through foundry agreements and joint-development agreements.

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What Happened When

December 2024：: Wingtech was placed on the U.S. Entity List and Google revoked Android-related licenses, forcing Wingtech to sell its contract manufacturing business.

Late September 2025：: Dutch authorities froze Wingtech Technology Co. Ltd.’s core overseas asset, specifically Nexperia Holding BV, in response to new U.S. export controls.

September 29, 2025：: The U.S. announced its “50% ownership” rule.

September 30, 2025：: Wingtech and Nexperia executives held a meeting to deploy the “Rainbow Plan” to deal with the new rule; the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs ordered a freeze of Nexperia’s operations.

Early hours of October 1, 2025 (Beijing time)：: Nexperia chief legal officer Ruben Lichtenberg notified management by email that the Dutch ministry had frozen all of Nexperia’s global subsidiaries.

October 1, 2025：: Three executives petitioned the Dutch Enterprise Chamber for an investigation and emergency measures.

October 2, 2025：: The Dutch ministry, with Ruben and independently hired lawyers, arrived at Nexperia’s headquarters to conduct interviews and asset checks.

Early October 2025：: First court hearing in the Netherlands regarding Nexperia; company’s written defense was not accepted.

Early October 2025：: Court suspended Zhang from all positions at Nexperia and its parent, appointed an independent director, and placed Nexperia shares under trusteeship. Zhang and other Chinese executives had their system access cut off and several were suspended or dismissed in the following days.