China urges Netherlands to ease chip export curbs

China has asked the Netherlands to relax export restrictions related to semiconductors, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp said following a meeting with officials in Beijing.

Semiconductors and “the policy regarding export controls and export licensing” are a “topic of continuous discussion,” Veldkamp told reporters Thursday after discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Asked whether China requested an easing of such restrictions, Veldkamp said “always of course, that’s in their interest.” He added that national security concerns and autonomous licensing decision making remain in the Netherlands’ interest.

China has previously expressed its “high concern” over the Dutch export curbs. The Netherlands is home to ASML Holding NV, the world’s sole producer of high-end lithography machines used to make advanced semiconductors. It’s never sold its most-advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography machines to China because of export restrictions.

Speaking at a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning described China and the Netherlands as “highly complementary in the semiconductor sector” and called their cooperation “mutually beneficial.”

Veldkamp spoke to reporters during the first trip to China of a Dutch cabinet member since the new administration came to power last July.

During the meeting, the countries agreed to deepen cooperation in areas like trade and technology and to maintain communication on semiconductor technology. Veldkamp said he’s “confident” the topic will be revisited next month when Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Reinette Klever travels to Beijing.

“It will always remain on our agenda to have an international trade as free as possible,” Veldkamp said. Bloomberg