Chip machine manufacturer ASML said the Dutch government recently partially revoked approval to supply several advanced DuV machines by 2023. Although export control for chip machines is not yet in place.
ASML’s move has affected a small number of customers in China, the company said. Bloomberg reported Monday evening that ASML had canceled several deliveries to China late last year at the request of the United States.
“In recent discussions with the US government, ASML has further clarified the scope and impact of US export control regulations,” ASML said in a statement on its website. The latest U.S. export rules from mid-October impose restrictions on certain DuV systems “at a limited number of advanced manufacturing facilities,” according to the company.
duv systems are the final generation of ASML generation engines. The abbreviation stands for ‘deep ultraviolet’.
ASML says it is fully prepared to comply with the export rules and does not expect any impact on its financial prospects for 2023.
Bloomberg News reported on Monday that ASML had allowed Chinese companies to supply several DuV machines until the end of last year, before export restrictions previously imposed on the Veldhoven company took effect. But according to anonymous sources, US officials have asked the company to refrain from doing so. That too has been noticed.
According to Bloomberg, it’s unclear how many of the machines, which cost tens of millions each, were ultimately not shipped. US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan approached the Dutch government about the case late last year. But according to anonymous sources, Sullivan was asked to contact ASML directly about this. Both the U.S. government and the Dutch foreign ministry declined to comment to Bloomberg on the matter.
ASML is the world leader in manufacturing chip machines. Semiconductor equipment is used to make chips for various applications such as smartphones, servers, electric cars and advanced military equipment.
Because of this, ASML has become a focus of geopolitical tensions between China and the US in recent years. The Americans want no advanced chip technology to be exported to China to prevent the Chinese from using the chips for military purposes.
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