A U.K. government spokesperson said: “We are monitoring the situation closely and remain in touch with Dutch counterparts regarding actions taken in relation to Nexperia.”
A spokesperson for Nexperia said: “Nexperia Manchester site continues to operate as usual,” and the measures taken by the Dutch government “have restored good governance in the company, ensuring that no undue influence can be exercised by the former CEO on decision making processes.”
Wingtech, which still legally owns Nexperia and is chaired by Zhang, has been approached for comment.
At the start of October, Beijing halted the export of Nexperia components from China, following the move by the Netherlands, sending ripples through the Western auto industry, which uses the chips for things like locks, speedometers, and climate control systems.
The impact is being felt at Nissan’s plants in Japan and a Honda site in Canada, which has scaled back production as a result.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) warned Wednesday that production lines are “days away” from closing due to the shortage.