Under US pressure, Dutch photolithography giant ASML will no longer service certain chipmaking equipment purchased by Chinese customers.
Dutch government weighs ASML service restrictions in China | World Business Watch | WION
Former CEO Peter Wennink, who was then succeeded by Christophe Fouquet, announced the new restriction at the company's annual general meeting, Reuters reported.
The US government has pressured ASML to stop servicing chip-making tools in China since early March in an effort to curb the strength of China's semiconductor industry.
The chip equipment manufacturer may not have much choice, especially when it comes to servicing machines with US-made parts. "We can service them, but not with US content, with spare parts that come from the US that are under export control," the outgoing ASML CEO said. The Netherlands is closely integrated with the US and its allies, and going against US export restrictions is not seen as feasible for the country.
