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UK national security block of Newport Wafer Fab acquisition

The UK government has announced that it will require Chinese-owned technology company Nexperia BV to sell the 86% shareholding it acquired in July 2021 in the UK’s largest semiconductor plant, Newport Wafer Fab (since re-named Nexperia Newport Limited). 

This is the first deal to be blocked by the UK government on national security grounds using its powers to retrospectively review deals completed before the National Security and Investment Act entered into force on 4 January 2022. 

Read our alert to understand the background to the government’s decision and its implications.