As an important equipment in chip manufacturing, lithography machine is related to the development of chip technology. So far, the world's most cutting-edge lithography machines have come from ASML in the Netherlands. Just recently, Dutch Prime Minister Rutte paid a visit to China.
From March 26 to March 27, Dutch Prime Minister Rutte visited China. This is Rutte's first visit to China in the past five years, but he is not alone, he is also accompanied by the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Jeffrey van Leven. According to the Global Times, the purpose of Rutte's visit to China is to continue to consolidate relations with China.
When it comes to the Netherlands, we have been in close contact with the Netherlands in the past two years, and we have paid a lot attention to the Dutch ASML Group. As a giant in the world's lithography machine production companies, it has a monopoly position in this field. International electronics giants, such as Intel, Samsung and TSMC, are inseparable from lithography machines manufactured by ASML.
The previous chip production and manufacturing of the natural continent also had to import a large number of lithography machines from ASML in the Netherlands. However, later due to pressure from the United States, Dutch ASML also had to start restricting the export of lithography machines to China. At the beginning of 2024, the restrictions on the export of lithography machines to China will be further reduced.
According to a report on January 2, the United States had previously pressured Dutch ASML to block sales to China before the deadline. At the request of the Biden administration, although the export ban on lithography machines to China has not yet officially taken effect, the Dutch ASML company has to cancel some shipment orders to China under pressure.
After these regulations were issued, the Dutch parliamentarians were in fact very unhappy, believing that the US decision had too much influence on the Netherlands. The report also pointed out that Peter Wennink, CEO of ASML in the Netherlands, did not disagree with these moves, and he once warned that these restrictions on China will only force China to develop its own technology. Although it will take time for China to overcome the lithography machine problem, it will not stop China from reaching its goal.
Moreover, the Chinese market is one of the important markets for the Dutch ASML Group, and 29% of the revenue of the Dutch ASML in 2023 will come from China. If there are restrictions on exports to China, then the revenue of Dutch ASML will drop significantly.
The Dutch ASML is one of the enterprises that the Netherlands attaches great importance to and is an important source of tax revenue for the Dutch government. For example, due to some policies of the Dutch government, ASML plans to move from the Netherlands to other countries. After hearing the news, the Dutch government immediately took various measures to save it.
The Dutch government has offered a 2.5 billion euro subsidy to keep ASML, and even Eindhoven, where the ASML Group is located, will benefit, and the Dutch government plans to improve the city's infrastructure, such as housing, education, transport and power grid facilities. And in a statement issued by the Dutch government later, it also said that it would take certain tax reduction measures for ASML. Dutch Prime Minister Rutte even led a special task force to keep Asmir.
During his visit to China, Rutte emphasized the importance of open exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. Rutte also deliberately emphasized that "decoupling and breaking the chain" is not a choice for the Dutch government, in fact, if it harms China's interests, the Netherlands itself will also be adversely affected.
Therefore, the Netherlands attaches great importance to its cooperation with China and is willing to continue to deepen this partnership. It is hoped that in the future, the two sides can strengthen cooperation in economic and trade and carbon reduction and emission reduction. Of course, the topic is still relatively harmonious and pleasant here, but then Prime Minister Rutte mentioned the hot Ukrainian issue in recent years, and Prime Minister Rutte actually made an incredible request to China, Rutte hopes that China can let Putin end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, because China has a strong influence.
I have to say that this request is indeed a bit unreasonable. Because first of all, the root cause of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has nothing to do with China. And from the very beginning, China has also stood on an objective and neutral position, and has not favored any one country.
China's policy has always been non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is a matter between these two countries, and China can only call for peace, but it is definitely up to them to decide how to decide.
Now China does have influence in the world that cannot be ignored, but it is precisely because of its strong influence that we cannot use our influence to arbitrarily interfere in the affairs of other countries.
World peace is of course good, but the recent situation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has not been resolved, and it is also due to the continuous assistance of Western countries to Ukraine, which is tantamount to adding fuel to the fire and making it difficult to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
And it seems to be a conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but in fact it also involves NATO and the United States, and such a complex issue cannot be persuaded in three or two sentences.
Of course, we attach importance to foreign trade cooperation with other countries, but on a case-by-case basis, one yard is one yard. We also don't compromise on unreasonable demands in order to maintain a relationship. With the end of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, I hope that all of us will work together to advance it.
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