ASML Denies US Claim Its EUV Chip Machine Reached China

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick raised concerns with ASML executives that one of the Dutch firm’s extreme‑ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines – the only tools capable of printing the most advanced semiconductor patterns – may have ended up in China, which would breach U.S. export restrictions that have barred EUV sales to China since 2019. ASML responded that it has never shipped an EUV system, component, module or specially designed equipment to China and that it monitors every machine in operation. The company said there are 314 EUV tools worldwide, none located in China, and that any relocation would be impossible without ASML’s on‑site maintenance because the machines are the size of a school bus and weigh about 180 tonnes. U.S. officials claim to have “evidence” of EUV‑related exports but have not disclosed any proof, and the Commerce Department declined to comment. After Bloomberg reported the allegation, ASML shares fell up to roughly 2.7 % in Amsterdam. The episode occurs amid wider U.S. efforts, such as the proposed MATCH Act, to extend export controls to other semiconductor‑equipment categories and to pressure allies, including the Netherlands, to tighten licensing for China.