The US is worried China could have a top-spec chipmaking machine despite export restrictions, but the machine maker ASML denies it
ASML, the Dutch company that holds a global monopoly on advanced chipmaking equipment, faces scrutiny from the US government over potential export of its technology to China. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has privately raised concerns that ASML’s extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines—the world’s most sophisticated semiconductor manufacturing equipment—may have reached Chinese companies despite longstanding export restrictions.
EUV machines use high-frequency light to precisely etch circuits onto silicon wafers, making them essential for producing the most advanced computer chips. Access to this technology has been tightly controlled, with ASML’s machines reserved exclusively for US-aligned manufacturers including TSMC, Intel, and Samsung.
ASML has categorically denied the allegations, asserting that none of its EUV machines have been exported to or are currently operating in China. The company claims to maintain strict adherence to all export control regulations.
The dispute reflects intensifying US-China competition over semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. Advanced chip technology is critical to everything from military systems to consumer electronics, making semiconductor independence a strategic priority for nations. If China successfully obtained ASML equipment, it would significantly accelerate its domestic chip production capabilities and potentially alter the global semiconductor landscape.