China blames US ‘coercion’ for new Dutch export controls on ASML chip-making equipment

The Dutch government has said it would expand export licensing requirements for two ASML lithography tools

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Engineers seen at ASML’s headquarters in Veldhoven, Netherlands. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:06am, 9 Sep 2024Updated: 3:47pm, 25 Sep 2024

China is “dissatisfied” with the Dutch government’s decision to expand export controls on ASML Holdings chip-making equipment, the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The Dutch government on Friday said it would expand export licensing requirements for ASML’s 1970i and 1980i deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion lithography tools, aligning its rules with export restrictions on these machines unilaterally imposed by the United States last year.

Beijing has repeatedly criticised Washington’s strategy of pressuring allies like the Netherlands and Japan to join export controls targeting Chinese access to cutting-edge chips and chip-making equipment.

“In recent years, in order to maintain its global hegemony, the United States has continued to … coerce certain countries to tighten export control measures for semiconductors and (related) equipment … China is resolutely opposed to this,” China’s commerce ministry said in response to the Dutch government’s announcement on Friday.

The ministry added that the Dutch side should not abuse export controls, avoid measures that damage Sino-Dutch cooperation in semiconductors, and safeguard the “common interests of Chinese and Dutch enterprises”.

US lobbying has effectively stopped ASML, the world’s biggest vendor of chip-making equipment, from exporting its most advanced lithography systems to China.