Chinese LED Chip Maker's Attempt to Acquire Dutch Company Blocked by U.S. Opposition

by Lee Seunghyeong

Published 18 Apr.2026 13:46(KST)

Amid ongoing tensions between China and the Netherlands over Nexperia, it has been reported that a Chinese LED chip manufacturer's attempt to acquire a Dutch company was blocked due to opposition from the U.S. government.

Chinese LED Chip Maker's Attempt to Acquire Dutch Company Blocked by U.S. Opposition

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on April 18 (local time), China's Sanan Optoelectronics announced the previous day through a regulatory filing that, together with its Malaysian partner, it had decided to abandon its attempt to acquire the Dutch LED package manufacturer Lumileds Holding.

Sanan Optoelectronics explained that despite multiple rounds of negotiations, the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) determined that the deal could pose "unresolvable risks to U.S. national security" and requested that the acquisition be abandoned. Accordingly, the company stated that it sent a letter to CFIUS voluntarily withdrawing from the transaction.

Previously, at the end of last year, Sanan Optoelectronics and its Malaysian partner had announced plans to acquire 100% of the shares of Lumileds and its European and Asian subsidiaries for $239 million in cash. Their plan was to rapidly secure overseas production bases and ensure supply for global customers by utilizing Lumileds' manufacturing facilities in Singapore and Malaysia.

SCMP assessed that this incident, which follows the Nexperia dispute, demonstrates how U.S. scrutiny is making it increasingly difficult for Chinese technology companies to acquire overseas businesses.

Nexperia, headquartered in the Netherlands, manufactures automotive semiconductors used in electric vehicles and autonomous driving systems. In 2019, the company was acquired by Chinese semiconductor firm Wingtech. In September of last year, against the backdrop of U.S.-China trade tensions, the Dutch government stripped Wingtech of management rights over Nexperia, citing concerns about technology leaks. In response, China restricted exports of Nexperia products produced at its Guangdong plant, leading the global automotive industry to face a semiconductor shortage crisis. Although both parties have continued negotiations, the conflict has yet to be fully resolved.