UK Lawmakers Push for Nexperia’s Stockport Chip Plant Sale Over National Security Fears
UK politicians are escalating pressure on the government to force Nexperia, a Chinese-owned semiconductor firm, to divest its Stockport microchip facility. The plant, generating £192m annually, is flagged as a critical infrastructure vulnerability due to potential Chinese interference in supply chains and data access.
The MOVE mirrors recent Dutch intervention, where emergency powers were used to seize Nexperia's Netherlands headquarters. Dutch authorities cited risks of Chinese chip supply manipulation and replaced the Chinese CEO, highlighting jurisdictional fragmentation in corporate control.
Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith draws parallels to Newport’s 2023 semiconductor plant sale, urging identical action for Stockport. "The same rules should apply," he asserted, questioning the delay in resolving the security threat.
