ASML Exec Doubts Decoupling From China Will Work

The tech supply chain has become so long and complex for any country to "go back to a dark little corner" with its own isolated chip industry, ASML executive vice president Christophe Fouquet told Nikkei Asia's chief tech correspondent Cheng Ting-Fang in an interview.

Photo Insert: ASML Executive Vice President Christophe Fouquet made the statement in an interview with Nikkei Asia.

"We don't believe decoupling is possible. We believe this will be extremely difficult and extremely expensive," he added.

ASML said its own success over the years has come from working with the best global suppliers instead of trying to develop all of the technologies it needs in-house.

This approach, according to Fouquet, has allowed ASML to move forward with cutting-edge lithography -- a key process in all types of chip manufacturing -- faster than its smaller Japanese rivals Nikon and Canon.

But while it works with critical suppliers globally, Europe's top chip equipment maker said it still believes the best production strategy is to bring all the components and modules back home and assemble the machines close to its headquarters.

ASML said it will continue this strategy until at least 2026.

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