(Collected from Asia Times www.atimes.com)
US pushes ASML to refuse maintenance in China
By Jeff Baugh
04/09/2024
The United States calls on the Netherlands to put pressure on ASML, a Dutch company that is the world's largest and most technologically advanced manufacturer of photolithography machines for chips. To further hinder the development of China's semiconductor industry. Maintenance services for the company's machines currently used in China have been suspended. At this time, it appears that the Netherlands has made its decision. Prime Minister Mark Reutter recently said that Chinese support for Russia represents one of the biggest threats to his country's national security.
News has emerged that the Dutch government has begun delaying ASML granting a license to provide maintenance services for the company's lithography machines, currently in use in China.
Allen Estavez, US Undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, is scheduled to discuss [1] With ASML officials and executives in the Netherlands on Monday 8 April you will raise the issue of this service contract with them. This is according to a report by Reuters news agency.[2]
This report also said that President Joe Biden's administration may also ask ASML to stop selling equipment to Chinese semiconductor chip factories on the newly compiled list.
In fact, since last year Washington has also been pressuring the Dutch government to limit the maintenance services ASML provides to Chinese customers.
Several public statements and the latest version from Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government indicate that the Netherlands will move more slowly in granting maintenance requests for Chinese customers in the future. At the same time, if there are conditions that refuse to proceed, they will quickly refuse to issue the license. Reuters news agency reported the news like this.
There are critics who express their opinions through the media. (Commenter) Some Chinese say that if ASML actually stops providing repairs for some of the chip lithography machines currently in use in China, those machines will become obsolete once they have minor problems, all Chinese chip makers say. What can be done is Return the machines to ASML or resell them abroad. This will lead to a situation that the Dutch government and ASML do not want to see.
“If ASML cuts maintenance services in China, will these wafer printing machines in China become garbage one day? It seems that the situation has not reached that level yet. Because the Netherlands may not respond well,” said a Sichuan-based technology writer who uses the pseudonym “Netherlands.” satisfactory to the demands of the United States.” “Travel” (Tiaotiao) said this in one of his writings. [3]
“Several Chinese state-owned chipmakers have already spoken out. If they are not allowed to use photolithography machines on these chips, they acquired them before the US chip export ban took effect. They will return them to ASML for a refund,” he said.
In an extreme case, if China shipped all 1,500 photolithography machines and testing equipment currently in the country to the Netherlands, ASML would not be able to repay the money. This writer indicates that this is the reason behind the Netherlands’ reluctance to meet American demands in this regard.
Critics express their opinions through other media. Some say that if ASML continues to shut down some of its machines in China, it will likely only affect some of its advanced deep UV wafer printing machines. It's not as if there are hundreds of low-quality machines.
This is from January 1 of this year onwards. The Dutch government responded to the American invitations. With the discontinuation of the license to export ASML's most advanced DUV wafer lithography systems (NXT:2000i, NXT:2050i, NXT:2100i and their variants), many of these models have been changed) to China
News website Caijing.com reported. [4] I noticed last November that China has an ASML system that uses relatively advanced technology. This report said that the NXT:2000i model is 5 fewer than the total number of NXT:1980Di models that are not subject to the US export ban. There should be less than 80 machines in China.
During a meeting on export controls on March 27, Estavez told Reuters: The United States is asking its allies to prevent their domestic companies from providing certain types of chip-making machines to Chinese customers.
“We are working with our partners to determine what is important for service and what is unnecessary and does not require service.” [5] It is a hint that the United States is not targeting non-essential components of the device that many Chinese companies are already able to repair on their own
Due to the reaction from Dragon Land, the Chinese Embassy in Washington issued a protest. The United States is expanding its concept of national security to include a broader range of issues. Very broadly they are using this as a reason to force other countries to cooperate with Washington's technological blockade of China.
Sino-Russian relations
The issue of Beijing calling on the United States to end the chip export ban. Washington's call for China to cut off supplies to Russia is one of the most important topics in the talks between American and Chinese officials.
After US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Guangzhou on April 5 and 6 and with Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Sunday, April 7, she also held a press conference at the US Embassy in Beijing on Monday. April 8).
Yellen said she had difficult talks on national security with her Chinese counterparts.
“President Biden and I personally are committed to doing everything we can to stop the flow of materials. Which supports the Russian industrial defense base and said: “We are constantly concerned about the role of any entity, including the entity located in the People’s Republic of China.” This appears in Russian military purchases.”
She said Chinese companies should not supply Russia with war materials. Otherwise, they will face severe and persistent threats. She also said that any bank that facilitates important transactions will do so and it is a channel to bring in military products or products that can be used in two ways, military and civilian. To the Russian defense industrial base they risk exposing themselves to US sanctions.
Before that again during a nearly two-hour phone call, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Joe Biden that China “will not stand idly by.” Just watch if the US continues to suppress Chinese trade and technological development. He entered the names of various companies and people, and China is increasingly adding to the list of countries against which the United States imposes sanctions.
At the same time, Biden also raised concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base. And the impact this will have on European security and on both sides of the Atlantic.
Media reported [6] Chinese companies shipped heavy trucks, military and civilian products, and spare parts for electronic equipment to Russia, which Moscow used in the war in Ukraine. They say China may also provide geospatial intelligence to Moscow.
Which side will Prime Minister Reuter stand on?
At this time, it is reported that Prime Minister Reuter has not yet made a decision. Will his government put pressure on ASML to cut maintenance services in China?
During a meeting in Beijing on March 27, Xi told Reuters: The Netherlands should facilitate a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese state-owned enterprises.
On the other hand, Rotter said, the Dutch government will try to interfere in business. As little as possible but he went on to say that Chinese support for Russia is one of the biggest national security threats to the Netherlands. It remains one of the major obstacles in relations between China and the Netherlands.
Rutter is known to be one of the leading candidates. [7] The next Secretary General of NATO
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said: [8] During the ministry's regular press conference on Monday, April 8, “China has regulated the export of items that can be used for military and civilian purposes. In accordance with laws and regulations.” At the same time, he added: “Relevant countries should not distort or attack the normal relations between China and Russia. It should not cause harm to various rights and interests. The legitimacy of China and Chinese companies.”
margin
[1] https://www.aol.com/news/exclusive-u-urge-dutch-more-135937640.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrerrers=ahr0chm6ly93d3cuz29vz2xllmnvbs8&guce_referrer_segvypvy0 1GVBHZ_EBCE I
[2]https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2024/04/08/2003816091
[3]https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1792869179972130397&wfr=spider&for=pc
[4]https://m.huxiu.com/article/2278507.html?f=m_collection_article&visit_source=collection_detail_page&collection_id=228
[5] https://www.trendforce.com/news/2024/03/29/news-us-reportedly-targets-key-chip-manufacturing-equipment-urges-allies-to-tighten-maintenance-services/
[6] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-06/china-is-providing-geospatial-intelligence-to-russia-us-warns
[7] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/mark-rutte-jens-stoltenberg-nato-dutch-britain-b2500755.html
[8]https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202404/t20240408_11277991.html