China's commerce ministry said Wednesday that the country welcomes the Dutch government's move to suspend its administrative order regarding semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia, an overseas subsidiary of Chinese company Wingtech.
It is "a first step in the right direction toward a proper settlement of the issue," said a spokesperson with the ministry.
Government officials of the two countries held two rounds of consultations in Beijing regarding the Nexperia issue on Tuesday and Wednesday, during which the Dutch side offered to suspend the administrative order issued under the "Availability of Goods Act," according to the ministry.
However, the suspension falls short of revoking the administrative order, a move that would address the root cause of the turbulence and chaos in the global semiconductor industrial and supply chains, the spokesperson noted.
Meanwhile, the erroneous ruling, pushed by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, to strip Wingtech of its control over Nexperia remains the key obstacle to resolving the issue, the spokesperson added.
The source and responsibility for the current disruption in the global semiconductor supply chain lie with the Netherlands, the Chinese side has reiterated during the consultations.
China hopes the Dutch side will continue to demonstrate sincerity in cooperating with China and put forward genuinely constructive proposals to solve the problem, said the spokesperson.
Both sides have agreed to eliminate administrative intervention and support enterprises in resolving internal disputes through consultation in accordance with the law, which will not only protect investors' legitimate rights but also create better conditions for restoring security and stability of the global semiconductor industry, according to the spokesperson.
On Wednesday, Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans said that the government's intervention over semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia is being suspended.
"In light of recent developments, I consider it the right moment to take a constructive step by suspending my order under the Goods Availability Act regarding Nexperia, in close consultation with our European and international partners," The minister said in a statement.
Karremans intervened in the operations of Nexperia in late September, citing the company's alleged governance shortcomings.
China's Ministry of Commerce said on Nov 1 that the Dutch government's improper interference in internal corporate affairs has led to the ongoing chaos in global industrial and supply chains. China urges the Netherlands to take concrete actions to restore the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain.
Karremans said in the past few days Dutch government has had constructive meetings with the Chinese authorities. He lauded the measures already taken by the Chinese authorities to ensure the supply of chips to Europe and the rest of the world.
China welcomes Netherlands' suspension of administrative order regarding Nexperia
China welcomes Netherlands' suspension of administrative order regarding Nexperia
China welcomes Netherlands' suspension of administrative order regarding Nexperia
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that mediation efforts of the Pakistani side regarding the Middle East tensions are in the common interests of all parties.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in his talks with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing.
During their talks, the two sides exchanged views on current international issues and regional conflicts.
Wang welcomed the visit of the Pakistani side to Beijing for discussion on easing tensions in the Middle East, just after its holding of a quadrilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Islamabad.
He said China supports and looks forward to Pakistan playing a unique and important role in easing the situation and resuming peace talks. This process is no easy task, and Pakistan's mediation efforts are in line with the common interests of all parties, Wang added.
He noted China is willing to make joint efforts with Pakistan to end the hostilities as soon as possible, create opportunities for peace and open the window for peace talks.
On bilateral ties, Wang said this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, calling on both sides to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and constantly advance the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
For his part, Dar said the Pakistan-China friendship is precious and deeply rooted in people's hearts, adding that Pakistan is willing to work with China to promote the continuous development of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
Dar thanked China for supporting Pakistan's mediation of the situation in Iran, adding that the current conflict has disrupted international energy supplies and caused heavy damage to developing countries.
Noting that solutions can only be found through negotiation, Dar said Pakistan is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to push all parties to start peace talks as soon as possible and restore regional peace.
The two sides also put forward a five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East region:
I. Immediate cessation of hostilities: China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas.
II. Start of peace talks as soon as possible. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable option to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks.
III. Security of nonmilitary targets. The principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed. China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law, and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.
IV. Security of shipping lanes. The Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, is an important global shipping route for goods and energy. China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible.
V. Primacy of the United Nations Charter. China and Pakistan call for efforts to practice true multilateralism, to jointly strengthen the primacy of the United Nations, and to support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realizing lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Pakistan's mediation efforts in common interests of all parties: Chinese FM
Pakistan's mediation efforts in common interests of all parties: Chinese FM
