Fresh US – Chinese row on chipmaking

Wang Wentao, China’s commerce minister, has voiced worries about US export restrictions that bar foreign nations from sending lithography machines to China.

With these restrictions, the US has prevented China from obtaining cutting-edge chips and the equipment needed to produce them, which may support AI and highly developed computers for the military. China has also persuaded countries that are important suppliers to enact comparable restrictions.

According to a statement from the Commerce Ministry, Wang’s main concerns were penalties that hurt Chinese businesses, a US inquiry into the legacy chip supply chain, and limitations on third-party lithography machine shipments to China.

Among the nations engaged was the Netherlands, home of ASML, the top manufacturer of semiconductor equipment worldwide. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, the most advanced equipment made by ASML, are already subject to restrictions and have never been sent to China.

New US export bans in October stopped ASML from even sending older models of its DUV semiconductor equipment to China. China firmly opposes the US instrumentalizing and weaponizing export control issues and urges the Dutch side to respect the spirit of the contract.