Netherlands To Stop Servicing ASML Gear Sold To China

US demands that chipmaking giant ASML stop servicing some equipment it has sold to Chinese customers are a diplomatic and business headache for the Dutch government, but signs are it will continue to align with Washington on export restrictions, Toby Sperling reported for Reuters.

The Dutch government's public statements and national security interests suggest it will be slow to approve Chinese maintenance requests in the future and quick to deny them. I Photo: ASML Facebook

Although Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government is reluctant to make a blanket decision, its public statements and national security interests suggest it will be slow to approve Chinese maintenance requests in the future and quick to deny them.

That would be a setback for China's attempts to build up its domestic chip industry, because ASML gear is almost impossible to replace and will break down over time if not maintained.

But it could also complicate efforts by Rutte's government to stop ASML Holdings NV, the Netherlands' biggest company, from moving operations abroad.

One emerging factor is Dutch security priorities, particularly support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Rutte, who is favored to become the next NATO secretary-general, discussed ASML with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they met in Beijing last week.

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