The Dutch government has promised it will not overlook the economic interests of world-leading chip tech maker ASML when it decides on whether to further tighten curbs on exports to China.
China is ASML’s third largest market after Taiwan and South Korea, and Chinese companies represent around 20% of its current order backlog.
After previous rounds of restrictions, Chinese chipmakers have been buying mostly older ASML equipment that does not fall under current export restrictions and are used to make “legacy” chips, important in industrial manufacturing around the globe.
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Previous rules imposed by the Dutch government had required a licence for the upper end of ASML’s product range. Separately in October 2023, the United States began unilaterally restricting ASML from exporting some tools near the middle of its product range – a move that prompted questions in Dutch parliament.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said: “We are in talks, good talks and we are also watching out very specifically for the economic interests of ASML, those need to be weighed against other risks and the economic interests are extremely important.
“ASML is for the Netherlands an extremely important, innovative industry that should not suffer under any circumstances, because that would damage ASML’s global position,” he added.
- Reuters with additional editing by Sean O’Meara
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