Chinese Commerce Ministry Critiques Dutch Government's Duv Lithography Export Controls

Rising Tensions Over Duv Lithography Export Controls

In a recent statement, the Chinese Commerce Ministry has voiced its dissatisfaction with the Dutch government's latest decision to expand export controls on ASML Holdings' chip-making equipment. This new measure specifically targets ASML's 1970i and 1980i deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion lithography tools, aligning these rules with the stringent export restrictions unilaterally imposed by the United States last year.

China's Reaction and Concerns

Beijing has consistently criticized Washington for pressuring allies, including the Netherlands and Japan, to implement export controls aimed at curtailing Chinese access to state-of-the-art chips and manufacturing equipment. According to the Chinese Commerce Ministry, this coercion is an attempt by the US to maintain its global hegemony. The Ministry emphasized that China is resolutely opposed to such measures.

Implications for Sino-Dutch Relations

• The Dutch government’s recent strategy is viewed as a hindrance to Sino-Dutch cooperation in the semiconductor sector.
• Trade Minister Reinette Klever stated that the decision aims to ensure national safety.
• ASML, the leading vendor of chip-making equipment globally, continues to face hurdles in exporting advanced lithography systems to China.

As tensions rise, the future of semiconductor collaboration between China and the Netherlands hangs in the balance.