By Che Pan and Brenda Goh
BEIJING (Reuters) -Nexperia mentioned on Sunday that its workers in China nonetheless have entry to firm platforms and are receiving salaries as regular, a day after its China unit asserted that it had the best to function independently of the Dutch mum or dad.
“We’re conscious of a message circulated by people at Nexperia China falsely claiming that Nexperia and the Dutch authorities have deserted the Chinese language market and that the manufacturing facility is now working beneath a brand new entity,” the Dutch chipmaker advised Reuters.
The corporate mentioned any statements about salaries not being paid are “factually incorrect and deceptive.”
On Saturday, Nexperia’s China unit mentioned it complies with Chinese language legal guidelines and has the best to function independently, a day after the Netherlands mentioned talks had begun to attempt to ease tensions over export controls.
A discover on its official WeChat account mentioned all of its workers proceed to work beneath the unit’s directions, and should reject any “exterior directions” not permitted by its Chinese language authorized consultant.
It mentioned salaries and bonuses will proceed to be paid out by Nexperia China, not Nexperia Netherlands.
Amid the US and China commerce tensions, the Dutch authorities took management of Nexperia on September 30 and eliminated its Chinese language CEO, Zhang Xuezheng.
The Dutch authorities cited the doable switch of know-how to Nexperia’s Chinese language mum or dad firm, Wingtech. Nexperia makes chips for carmakers and for client electronics.
Days later, China’s commerce ministry on October 4 blocked Nexperia from exporting chips from China.
“This case has arisen from the unauthorised actions of our former CEO Wing Zhang (Xuezheng), who has been formally suspended by a reliable court docket…and has no authority to signify Nexperia,” the Dutch chipmaker mentioned.
Nexperia has reported Zhang’s actions to Dutch authorities and mentioned it stays dedicated to workers and prospects in China. Nexperia didn’t specify what unauthorised actions its former CEO had taken.
Wingtech and Nexperia China didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
The dispute has raised fears within the world automotive and digital industries of doable chip shortages that might disrupt manufacturing.
Nexperia’s chips, although not technically subtle, are broadly utilized in excessive volumes.
Its greatest manufacturing web site is in Hamburg, Germany, however in response to two sources briefed on the matter, greater than 70% of Nexperia’s chips are shipped again to China to be packaged in Dongguan, a producing hub in China’s southern Guangdong province.
