China is reportedly expanding its influence over global supply chains by applying economic pressure and engaging in espionage against Dutch strategic industries, including semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML.
According to a report by the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) cited by Nikkei Asia, China is utilizing economic means and intelligence activities to target the Netherlands' semiconductor, maritime, and aerospace sectors.
The report analyzes that China's goal is to make the Netherlands structurally dependent on China and to secure global industrial leadership. It assesses that China is leveraging digital operations, legal pressure, and physical threats while exploiting the Netherlands' open governance system.
Particularly, the semiconductor industry is identified as the most vulnerable sector, as it houses companies with technologies that are difficult to obtain or virtually irreplaceable from other countries.
ASML is the only company in the world to commercialize extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, which is essential for advanced semiconductor production. Hans Holran, a strategic analyst at HCSS, explained, "Dutch companies occupy a critical position in the global value chain, making access to technology or influence over companies of significant strategic value."
China is targeting major Dutch firms such as ASML and NXP Semiconductors while also restricting exports of key raw materials. Last year, China limited rare earth exports in response to Western trade policies, raising concerns that ASML could face delays in equipment shipments.
The vulnerability of the maritime industry was also highlighted. Chinese state-owned enterprises COSCO Shipping Ports and China Merchants Port Holdings are involved as investors and terminal operators at the Port of Rotterdam, a key logistics hub in Europe.
Holran noted, "Intervention in the maritime sector is likely to manifest more as cyber espionage and data access rather than overt sabotage, and even limited intervention could have cascading effects on energy supply, industrial production, and NATO logistics."
HCSS recommends establishing a national integrated information system and mandating security reviews based on risk levels to counter these threats. It also suggests replacing equipment that could expose critical infrastructure, such as Chinese circuit boards or cranes for container unloading, to sabotage risks.
The researchers warned that even if China's influence does not immediately disrupt supply chains, it could limit the Netherlands' policy choices in crisis situations, such as conflicts surrounding Taiwan. Benedetta Girardi, a researcher at HCSS, stated, "The risk lies not in immediate disruption but in the gradual reduction of options available to Dutch policymakers in response."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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