Washington, April 4 – The US government is trying to convince ASML, a major chipmaker based in the Netherlands, to curtail its activities in China. The goal is to prevent China from accessing advanced technologies that could be used to strengthen its military.
Alan Estevez, a senior US Commerce Department official, will meet with representatives of the Dutch government and ASML next week to discuss the matter. Washington hopes that the Netherlands will expand the list of Chinese companies that ASML will not be able to supply its technology to.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the meeting will take place but declined to comment on its content. ASML and the Chinese embassy in the Netherlands have also not commented on the reports.
The Biden administration has been trying to restrict China’s access to advanced technologies for some time. Last month, the US government issued new regulations that prohibit the export of advanced AI chips to China.
These measures are aimed at preventing China from:
- Strengthening its military
- Expanding its global influence
- Using technology to develop weapons and surveil its citizens
Important:
- The US-China tech war is one of the most important geopolitical conflicts of our time.
- The outcome of this conflict will have a profound impact on the future of the global economy and security.
Additional Information:
- ASML is a Dutch company that produces lithography machines, which are essential for the production of semiconductors.
- China is the world’s largest consumer of semiconductors.
- The US government is concerned that China could use advanced semiconductors to develop military weapons and to surveil its citizens.
Sources:
- US Pressures ASML to Limit China Activities (TASR)
- US to Pressure Dutch Chipmaker ASML to Limit China Sales
- Biden Administration Set to Restrict US Technology Exports to China
