A Bizarre International War Inside One Chip Company Threatens the Global Automotive Industry

What happens when a company based in one country, and its parent company based in another country hate each other? Sounds like a hilarious HBO show, I know, but what if one of the companies is based in China, and what if the products this chaotic corporate entity makes are crucial to the global economy? The activities of the Netherlands-based part of the semiconductor company Nexperia represent, according to a Saturday statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, a disruption in operations that could trigger a global semiconductor shortage. If that happens, the ministry said on Saturday, “the Netherlands must bear full responsibility.” It’s hard to get situated in a mess like this because strained computer chip supply chains are so common. So to be clear, this would be a different type of looming semiconductor crisis from the one threatening car infotainment systems because of AI. Instead, this would be a throwback to the Covid-era, when car production slowed down due to a global shortage of the more basic and boring, but essential, chips used in cars—a shortage that had a very brief sequel late last year because of earlier issues with this same company, and its bizarre, intern