Nexperia publishes Dutch spies' names as Nexperia feud escalates further: report
The Chinese government has published the names of several employees of the Dutch intelligence services AIVD and MIVD, the Volkskrant reports. This unusually intimidating step seems to mark a new escalation in the feud between the Netherlands and China surrounding the chip company Nexperia.
In September, caretaker Minister Vincent Karremans of Economic Affairs took control of Nexperia. China responded by blocking chip exports, leading to global shortages in the automotive industry. Supplies have since resumed, but the situation is still very tense.
The names of several employees of the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) appeared on a Chinese-language website in Hungary on November 29, China expert Sense Hofstede noticed last week. He noticed that leaked contacts between Taiwanese and Dutch intelligence agencies were being discussed in the Taiwanese parliament and tracked down the source.
“When I found the original source, it immediately struck me that not only the names of Taiwanese officers were mentioned, but also Dutch ones. That’s unusual,” Hofstede told the newspaper.
The article on the Hungarian website, which reads like an indictment of Taiwan’s military service, describes a visit by a Taiwanese delegation to Amsterdam last May and a return visit of a Dutch delegation to Taiwan in November. According to the article, the Dutch services wanted Taiwan to help recruit two of China’s leading experts in chip technology.
The article claims that the Dutch delegation consisted of six spies from the AIVD and MIVD, listing their names and positions. Hofstede also noted that the language used in the piece is striking - the Netherlands is repeatedly referred to as the “former colonial ruler. The Nexperia logo was added to the post, and the author has never previously published on the site, he pointed out.
Hofstede does not doubt that China was behind the article, given the choice of topic, the approach taken with the shady website, and the main targets - Taiwan and the Netherlands. He thinks China wanted to send a message with the post. "It could be a warning to other European services: beware, collaborating with Taiwan has consequences. We know what you're doing. Or it could be a targeted message to the Netherlands,” Hofstede told the Volkskrant.
The AIVD told the newspaper that it “has taken note of the article,” but would not comment further about the identity of the agents listed. “We never make statements about employees” because publishing their names harms their position and directly affects Dutch security interests.
The Chinese Embassy in The Hague did not respond to the newspaper’s emailed questions.
