ASML reduces chip equipment shipment to China, under pressure of tightened US export controls

ASML Photo: VCG

 
Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML canceled shipments of some of its machines to Chinese buyers, a move that follows the tightening US export bans on high-end chipmaking equipment, the Reuters reported.

In an announcement released on Monday, ASML said that a license for the shipment of the NXT:2050i and NXT:2100i lithography systems in 2023 recently was partially revoked by the Dutch government, impacting a small number of customers in China.

The Dutch company said it has obtained further clarification of the scope and impact of the US export control regulations after a recent discussion with the US government. The latest US export rules published on October 17, 2023 imposed restrictions on certain mid critical DUV immersion lithography systems for a limited number of advanced production facilities.

The move comes as the Dutch government is pushed by the Biden administration's tightened export controls on China which kicked in last year, restricting shipments of  DUV machines, the second most advanced product line the company offers, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

However, although ASML said they do not expect the current revocation of its export license or the latest US export control restrictions to have a material impact on the company's financial performance, the fact that China has become a major buyer of ASML equipment may signal that the company's bottom line will likely take a hit. 

Latest data from the China Customs showed that between July and November, China's imports of lithography machines surged more than five times to reach $3.7 billion, and during the third quarter of 2023, Chinese customers accounted for 46 percent of ASML's sales.

"The Netherlands is the gateway of China-EU cooperation, and the relations between China and the Netherlands have maintained a sound momentum. We hope that the Netherlands will adhere to the spirit of independence, and the tradition of freedom and openness, follow international trade rules and uphold the spirit of contract, and jointly advance cooperation in economy and trade, science and technology, innovation and other fields, and jointly maintain the stability of the global industrial and supply chains," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone call with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot on November 8, 2023.

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