The Dutch government is lobbying against a new U.S. chip restriction bill targeting China, seeking to prevent its expansion of export controls. The controversy centers on the fact that the bill not only targets Chinese chip manufacturers but could also cut off their access to certain Western semiconductor equipment, with Dutch chip equipment giant ASML facing the greatest impact.
Dutch officials travel to the U.S. to express opposition
This week, Dutch Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and members of Congress to oppose the so-called MATCH Act, which aims to prohibit Chinese chip manufacturers from accessing Western semiconductor equipment.
After the meeting, Sjoerdsma said he had traveled specifically to the U.S. to present the Netherlands' concerns to Congress, as this issue significantly impacts Dutch interests.
ASML faces increased pressure on sales to China
ASML, headquartered in the Netherlands, is Europe's most valuable company and the only firm in the world capable of producing advanced lithography machines used to manufacture cutting-edge AI chips.
The Chinese market accounts for approximately 19% of ASML’s net system sales. If the MATCH Act advances, the scope of restrictions will exceed existing measures. In addition to a long-term ban on exporting the most advanced EUV lithography equipment to China, the bill would also bring certain deep ultraviolet immersion lithography machines under restriction.
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet previously stated that China is currently still able to purchase older-generation deep ultraviolet equipment. These devices began shipping about a decade ago, and the new legislation proposes to include this equipment in the export ban.
The bill has not yet entered its final vote.
The MATCH Act was introduced in April this year and has not yet undergone a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives or the Senate. Reports suggest that for the bill to pass, it may need to be incorporated into a larger legislative package.
This means that the relevant restrictions are still in the legislative promotion phase in the short term, but whether the U.S. continues to tighten chip export controls against China has begun to trigger more direct policy pushback from Europe.