Around the actions of the United States and the West in the semiconductor field against and suppressing China, the Dutch lithography machine giant ASML (ASML) also responded a few days ago, determined to continue to abide by the US ban.
On the 6th, in response to the rumor that "a special version of the DUV lithography machine will be launched to China", the Dutch lithography machine giant ASML responded, emphasizing that ASML has always complied with the applicable laws and regulations and has not launched a special edition of the lithography machine to China, it is worth noting that this is before the visit of US Treasury Secretary Yellen to China and the start of talks with China.
DUV lithography machine, that is, "deep ultraviolet lithography machine", is a relatively advanced lithography machine in the field of global lithography machines, but it is slightly inferior in accuracy to EUV, that is, extreme ultraviolet lithography machine. We know that in order to suppress the development of China's semiconductor industry chain, the United States issued a ban very early on, not allowing the Netherlands to export EUV lithography machines to China, and in recent years, the United States has gone further, even DUV is not allowed to be exported, causing heated discussions.
It is worth noting that ASML initially did not approve of the US ban, earlier this year, ASML Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Winningk criticized the US behavior, pointing out that the United States does not allow ASML to export lithography machines to China, but in fact, ASML's dependence on the Chinese market is far less than the United States itself, ASML complies with the US ban on not exporting lithography machines to China, but the United States is exporting chips to China in large sums, you know, China is currently the world's largest chip consumer market, Relying on the export of chips to China, the local chip manufacturers in the United States have made a lot of money. And all this is inseparable from ASML's cooperation with the United States and the absence of exports of lithography machines to China, otherwise China's self-sufficiency in chips will be strengthened, and the interests of American chip manufacturers will be reduced.
Therefore, ASML found that the United States is actually sacrificing ASML's interests and seeking huge dividends for local chip companies in the United States. It is no wonder that Winningk wants to criticize the United States, of course, Winningk's criticism actually has a layer of reasons, because based on the continuous suppression of China by the United States in the chip industry, China has also consciously accelerated its development in the semiconductor field in recent years, and China's self-sufficiency in low-end chips has been greatly strengthened. The latest report released by the Bank of Korea in May this year pointed out that South Korea's export trade has been seriously affected, and one of the fundamental reasons is the decline in exports to China in the semiconductor field, resulting in a deficit in trade with China from the past surplus, precisely because China's semiconductor self-sufficiency has become stronger.
Once China makes efforts, the speed of catching up in the semiconductor industry is very amazing, according to this trend, China in the next few years to develop its own cutting-edge lithography machine, is not impossible, when ASML do not say export to China lithography machine, lithography machine market price may be beaten down by China, this point can be seen with reference to the global shield machine market. In breaking the monopoly market between the United States and the West, China can be called an out-and-out "monopoly killer". Therefore, based on this, ASML could choose to export to China's lithography machines to slow down the speed of China's self-developed lithography machines in disguise.
But in the end, the United States continued to increase its blockade of Chinese semiconductors for its own selfish interests. It is worth noting that before this year, not only ASML, but also the Dutch government did not agree with the US China policy, and Dutch Prime Minister Rutte has expressed his opposition to the Biden administration's actions more than once. Until March this year, Rutte's attitude changed drastically, and the United States and Japan jointly formed a semiconductor blockade circle against China. "Coincidentally", at that time, the Australian media published an editorial, accusing the United States of using defense security to threaten its allies, considering the current background of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, we have reason to believe that US President Biden may be using national security to threaten Rutte and make the Netherlands have to yield.
At that time, China tried to talk to the Netherlands through diplomatic means, but in the end, it failed, and the Netherlands finally opened the semiconductor blockade against China. Recently, the United States, Japan and the Netherlands have joined hands to further escalate the blockade of China, and on the 3rd, China also announced a ban on the export of gallium germanium, a key semiconductor material, which caused heated discussions.
Under such circumstances, the Dutch side immediately pressured the EU to respond to this matter, and as a result, it was reported that China had even canceled the visit of EU "Foreign Minister" Borrell. This is also very normal, regardless of whether the Netherlands is under pressure from the United States, the United States, Japan and the Netherlands put pressure on China and strengthen the blockade, and the final victim is China, the problem is that China has not done anything wrong, the most innocent thing is China, why should China suffer such persecution? Therefore, it is natural for China to launch countermeasures.
Under such circumstances, if the United States, Japan and the Netherlands are worried that the supply of gallium germanium will be cut off and suffer losses themselves, they should give up their suppression of China, choose to sit down with the Chinese side, and seek a friendly and win-win cooperation plan, instead of suppressing innocent China for their own selfish interests and hegemony.
However, from the current situation, the Netherlands did not wake up to the intention of turning back, after asking the EU to fight back against China, ASML also made up his mind, before the start of the Yellen talks with China, stated that it would continue to abide by the US ban and ban the sale of lithography machines to China, which is also a kind of "loyalty" to the United States, such an attitude, then China may not be able to do anything, ASML and the United States, to "end of the carnival" together, China can only continue to counter or upgrade countermeasures, while accelerating the development of its own semiconductor industry, When the time comes, the United States and the West will have nothing to return in the future, so don't put a hat on China's head.