ASML receives licenses to export advanced tools to China

Semiconductor equipment maker ASML on Thursday confirmed Chinese media reports that it had received licenses from the Dutch government to export some of its advanced tools to customers in China up to the end of the year.

The company was required to seek approval to export some of its most sophisticated technology under a licensing regime introduced in June under an agreement with the U.S. – which is seeking to hobble Beijing’s ability to make its own chips, citing security concerns.

ASML, Europe’s largest technology firm by valuation, dominates the market for lithography equipment, which uses tiny beams of light to help create the circuitry of chips.

A spokeswoman for the company said ASML will be able to continue to ship the products in its NXT:2000i and more advanced DUV models, which fell under the restrictions as of Sept. 1, for the remainder of 2023.

Lithography machines using lightwaves in the deep ultraviolet light spectrum, or “DUV” machines, are ASML’s second tier product line. Its most advanced ‘extreme ultraviolet’ or EUV, machines have never been sold to Chinese customers.

“Our customers are aware of the export control regulations so they know that as of January 1, 2024 it is unlikely we will receive export licenses for these systems for shipment to domestic Chinese customers,” a spokesperson for the company said on Thursday. Reuters