Dutch minister opposes US bill targeting Chinese chipmakers

Dutch Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma traveled to Washington this week to advocate against the MATCH Act, a proposed U.S. bill that would prohibit Chinese chipmakers from obtaining Western semiconductor equipment. Sjoerdsma met with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and members of Congress to outline the Netherlands' concerns, emphasizing the significant potential impact on ASML, Europe's most valuable company.

ASML, headquartered in the Netherlands, holds a unique global position as the sole manufacturer of sophisticated lithography machines required for producing advanced AI chips. The proposed MATCH Act would expand upon existing export controls by restricting China's access not only to ASML's most advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) tools but also to its deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion machines, which are currently available for purchase. ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet previously noted that China currently buys older-generation DUV tools, some shipped about a decade ago.

China constitutes 19% of ASML's net system sales, highlighting the substantial economic implications of the bill. The legislation, introduced in April, has not yet proceeded to a full vote in either the House or the Senate and would likely require inclusion in a larger legislative package to advance.