Beijing: China has lifted export controls on some computer chips used by carmakers and suspended bans on certain critical materials, in a move that signals an easing of trade tensions with the United States and Europe.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that chips produced by Nexperia, a Chinese-owned semiconductor company based in the Netherlands, will be exempted from export restrictions if they are used for civilian purposes. The decision comes after months of concern among European automakers who feared production shutdowns due to a shortage of Nexperia chips.

Major car manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Volvo, and Jaguar Land Rover, had warned that limited chip supplies could disrupt their operations. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association had earlier cautione

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