Weeks back, the Dutch government seized Nexperia, a key Chinese-owned semiconductor player, ripping through the global auto supply chain like a bad storm. Now, reports from major outlets point to the White House gearing up to greenlight Nexperia chip shipments again. The US and Netherlands have long been thick as thieves on chip export curbs— and the timeline of their moves, plus exposed legal docs, screams Washington’s fingerprints all over this mess.
The Dutch government forcibly takes over Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company. AP Photo
Let’s look at the facts: On September 30, Dutch authorities, waving the national security flag, dusted off the obscure 1952 Goods Supply Act to grab Nexperia's assets and IP outright. They froze everything for a year and booted out the company's Chinese CEO. This stunt sparked a chip crunch that's hammering global carmakers, sending ripples across the industry. Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg report the White House would announce resumed Nexperia chip flows after the China-US summit.
Nexperia's parent, Wingtech Technology—a powerhouse in China's semiconductor scene—drew a hard line: Any deal to restart exports from China demands its CEO's return. A Wingtech spokesperson slammed out a statement, pressing the Dutch to back off and drop baseless tech-theft smears. They stressed that handing back "full control and ownership" is non-negotiable to cool tensions and steady the ship.
The Dutch government forcibly takes over Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company. AP Photo
Everyone with eyes sees the Dutch play as straight-up echoing Uncle Sam. The day before—September 29 local time—the US dropped a bombshell export control rule, slapping matching restrictions on a Wingtech sub listed on its Entity List, where America claims over 50% stake. Then, on October 14, Amsterdam Court of Appeal docs spilled the beans: Back in June, US officials told the Dutch flat-out that for Nexperia to snag an Entity List waiver under the new rules, its Chinese-national CEO "must be replaced."
Strings Pulled from D.C.
Nexperia's chips power the global auto world—last year, they raked in about $2 billion, with 60% tied to car apps, feeding hundreds of basic parts markets. The shipment freeze? It's choking output at big players in Europe, the US, and Japan; some factories are already sounding alarms on cuts or full halts.
The Dutch government forcibly takes over Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company. AP Photo
The auto sector's on the brink worldwide, staring down production slashes and shutdowns. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association warns of imminent disruption across the continent, with firms on the verge of idling. French giant Stellantis set up a "war room" to track the chaos, Nissan says its chip stockpile lasts only to early November, and the US's top auto suppliers group flags shutdowns in weeks. Ford brass calls it an industry-wide problem screaming for political fixes.
Bloomberg lays it out: If Nexperia ships again, it'll ease US and European jitters on chip volumes—their output is vital to autos everywhere, and the blackout's already throttling builds in multiple spots. The Wall Street Journal adds that carmakers and suppliers are left guessing if this patch will actually fix the supply snag.
China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson, November 1: Beijing "firmly opposes" the Netherlands' national security overreach and meddling in firm internals, which wrecked global supply chains. China will factor in business hardships, exempt eligible exports, and urges companies to loop in authorities fast.
Deep Throat
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Last Friday, Trump flat-out torpedoed a much-anticipated zero-emissions deal for the global shipping industry, smashing it apart at the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Financial Times lays it all bare: to kill the net-zero shipping pact, Trump didn’t just lean on the usual diplomatic muscle—Washington went full gangster. Think raised port fees, outright bans on ships passing through America, and direct threats, and even personal intimidation of diplomats and their families, with entry bans waved in their faces like warning flags.
The Financial Times lays it out: over a dozen diplomats, foreign officials, and industry insiders watched the US throw diplomacy in the mud at last month’s London summit. Washington came armed with bullying tactics, determined to smash the net-zero shipping pact by brute force.
US Bullying Blocks IMO’s Green Shipping Deal—Vote Delayed a Year. IMO website image.
US officials didn’t bother with backroom deals—they stalked the halls, cornering diplomats from Africa, the Pacific, and the Caribbean. The message was simple: cross the United States, and your ships might not reach America. Rock the boat, and your family could be locked out. These weren’t idle whispers. The intimidation played out in broad daylight during coffee breaks.
Social Media Taunts, Policy Upends
Trump didn’t bother hiding his true feelings. On social media, he slammed the agreement as a “global green shipping tax scam.” But this wasn’t just venting. In April, most countries had already green-lit the framework. It was set to become real policy—until Trump’s team blew it up, forcing a one-year “pause.” The global momentum froze on the spot.
One diplomat cut to the heart of it: “It’s like the streets of New York.” His country got the warning firsthand—keep backing the deal, and watch your sailors’ visas disappear. US port fees? Those would rise too. Another attendee was even more blunt: IMO bigwigs were left gobsmacked. “It’s like dealing with the mafia,” they said. “You don’t need details. You just know: cross us, and you’ll pay.”
The US State Department kept mum on the intimidation claims. Instead, American officials handed out praise to Greece and Cyprus. Those two broke rank from the rest of the EU—they cast abstention votes in the big one-year adjournment, even after they already gave the framework the green light back in April.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ahead of the IMO meeting in London, issued a joint statement with senior Trump officials warning that the administration was "evaluating sanctions on officials sponsoring activist-driven climate policies that would burden American consumers, among other measures under consideration." As Greece and Cyprus sided with the U.S., much of Europe—and the world—reacted with surprise.
Global Rules or American Muscle?
Chatham House’s head of global economy Creon Butler didn’t mince words. The US, he said, has ditched long-standing diplomatic etiquette. Instead, Washington's now muscling countries into backing its stance—especially on climate.
America Threatens: Support This, Your Crews and Ports Pay.
“In the very short term this might work, but in the medium term it increases the chances that non-US countries will conclude they cannot work with the US, making agreements independently among themselves which simply work around the US,” he said. Sooner or later, the rest of the world will ink deals that leave America in the dust.
The pushback reached fever pitch at the IMO. Brazil, among others, called out the methods “that should not ever be used among sovereign nations”. Washington wasn’t just rattling individuals—entire capitals, from Bangladesh to Japan and Indonesia, got notes threatening diplomatic smackdowns.
But let’s step back. The drive for a net-zero shipping pact isn’t about feel-good climate slogans.
As Niu Tanqin from Xinhua puts it: The pact itself is a brass-tacks response to global warming’s mounting cost. Whether you like it or not, global warming is simply an undisputable fact. Everyone is scrambling to stall off the climate catastrophes looming on the horizon.
So, in order to squeeze carbon emission: if your ship emits less than the set limit, you’re rewarded. Above the cut-off, you pay. China, the EU, Japan, India, Brazil—all were in. Even the big shipping companies joined the chorus.
Only a handful of oil states—think Saudi Arabia, Russia, the UAE—pushed back. Pacific island nations, unconvinced the pact was tough enough, simply abstained.
Trump Says Global Warming’s a Scam—US Walks Out.
Then, everything changed. Once Trump 2.0 manifested, the US flipped from supporter to saboteur. In his mind, climate change is a hoax—or worse, a Chinese plot to corner American interests. Stopping this agreement wasn’t just policy—it was personal. He didn’t mind stooping low—pulling out every trick in the high school bully’s playbook: pressure, threats, and outright intimidation to make sure America got its way.
One official wasn’t shy: “It was completely exceptional. I have never heard of anything like this in the context of an IMO negotiation. These people [being threatened] are just bureaucrats, they are civil servants.”
If international law becomes a mere cheap disguise, you can bet real power will be the one pulling the strings.
Pause Button Pressed—World Left Reeling
Now, the deal waits on ice for another year, while “the world stares, shell-shocked”—witnesses to a new era of American brinkmanship.
Not the first time, either. Just look at tariffs: if Washington’s unhappy, it writes its own tax bill—no debate required. Venezuela and Nigeria have both fielded threats of military action; Canada and Panama know the taste of territorial intimidation. Lawless? That’s par for the course.
But payback, as always, has a funny way of coming due. Today, the US bullies island nations and slaps down climate claims. Tomorrow, who’s next? When “might makes right” replaces rules, every nation that depends on order will lose out. True justice may come late—but it never skips its date. Chip away at the pillars of fairness, and sooner or later, you bury the very house you live in.
The real question: how long can America’s strong-arm show go on before the world walks out?
