ASML denies selling EUV chipmaking tool to China after report of US concern

ASML has denied shipping its advanced EUV lithography machines to China, contradicting US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's concerns over potential export restrictions violations.

Chip-equipment maker ASML said on Friday it had never shipped an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine ‌to China, after a report that U.S. officials were concerned one of the company's most advanced tools may have reached the country.

"ASML has never shipped an EUV machine to China nor have we shipped to China any component, module or equipment specially designed ‌to be used in an EUV machine," the chipmaker told Reuters in an emailed statement. Bloomberg News earlier reported that ‌U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had raised concerns that ASML's extreme ultraviolet lithography, or EUV machines, may have reached China in violation of U.S.-led export restrictions.

Lutnick expressed the concerns to senior leaders of the Dutch company in a series of meetings, the report added. ASML said it has refuted allegations regarding non-compliance ⁠with ​export controls concerning China, adding that ⁠it has "consistently adjusted its business to any development in export controls to comply to any new rules".

ASML's most advanced EUV systems are roughly the ⁠size of a school bus and weigh 180 tons. "When it comes to the export of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the Netherlands works with clear ​rules and control lists, based on the European Dual-Use Regulation and additional national measures," the Dutch Ministry of Foreign ⁠Affairs said in an emailed statement.

"All equipment, components and technology that explicitly fall under these rules require a licence," the ministry said, adding that it enforces ⁠this ​policy very strictly and "steps in where necessary". The U.S. Commerce Department and the White House were not immediately available for comment outside business hours when contacted by Reuters.

In April, Washington proposed a law requiring U.S. allies to align with its export ⁠controls to curb China's ability to make advanced semiconductors, with equipment made by ASML named in the legislation. Reuters reported in December ⁠that Chinese scientists have developed ⁠a prototype of an EUV machine that was built by a team of former engineers from ASML, an effort described as China's version of the Manhattan Project.