Caretaker economic affairs minister Vincent Karremans has pulled out of next week’s planned trade mission to China, during which he had also hoped to discuss the ongoing diplomatic row surrounding chipmaker Nexperia.

Karremans was due to depart on December 9 and had planned to meet Chinese counterparts to discuss concerns about the future of the Chinese-Dutch firm, which has its headquarters in Nijmegen.

However, the Chinese ministers he intended to see will be attending the Central Economic Work Conference, making a meeting impossible, he said. Karremans also said a ministerial-level meeting would in any case have been premature because diplomatic talks over Nexperia are still under way.

The dispute dates back to September, when Karremans placed Nexperia under state supervision amid fears that crucial technological expertise could be shifted out of the Netherlands.

The government believed the Chinese owner intended to move the company’s intellectual property from Nijmegen to China, which it said would have major consequences for the European economy.

Beijing reacted angrily and swiftly imposed an export ban on chips produced by Nexperia in China. The move left carmakers and suppliers uncertain about supplies for weeks.

An official delegation travelled to China in November to ease tensions, after which Karremans suspended the restrictions in an effort to repair relations between the two countries. He later said he no longer saw an immediate risk of Nexperia transferring production to China.

Karremans must now explain his handling of the case in parliament, with the debate taking place on Thursday.

“If developments around Nexperia give cause to travel to China at short notice, I will do so,” he said, adding that he has agreed on this with China’s minister of commerce.

The VNO-NCW-led business delegation will proceed with its visit.