Aafke's Saturday CHIPS #03: The jewel of Dutch economy
Welcome to your lowkey, easy-to-follow newsletter about the fundament of (almost) everything: CHIPS!
It’s Saturday, the sun is shining, and chip world has not been idle.
Earlier this month, the Dutch government announced it will introduce stricter export rules for ASML’s sales of advanced chip machines, aligning with U.S. policy. This decision, aimed at containing technological risks and protecting national security, now requires ASML to apply for export permits from the Dutch government for specific shipments. This particularly applies to systems that may be exported to China.
A few days later, the Chinese government reacted. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said the country is "dissatisfied" with the decision. In a statement, China accuses the US of purposefully coercing "countries to tighten export control measures for semiconductors and (related) equipment."
And not only the government but the Chinese state press reacted to the news. "The Netherlands has succumbed to US pressure," the commentator said. "Holland's promises have been painfully invalidated by reality."
In case you wonder how they feel about the news in China - here's an opinion piece from the Southern China Morning Post. Alex Po writes: "It's a jewel of the Dutch economy, but it can kiss its business model and profitability goodbye now that Washington has come knocking."
Not done reading yet? Here are some other interesting semicon reads:
ESIA calls for ‘Chips Envoy’ to lead Europe’s semiconductor strategy
The European Semiconductor Industry Association urges the EU to adopt a coordinated industrial strategy to secure 20% of global chip production by 2030.From The New York Times: Japan Tries to Reclaim Its Clout as a Global Tech Leader
Japanese chip companies are tapping billions of dollars and collaborating with foreign firms as part of new government policies that look outward.300 European chip companies warn against restrictions
SEMI Europe, representing around 300 European semiconductor companies and institutions, such as ASML and NXP, has raised concerns about the EU’s proposed restrictions on outbound investments.
That was all for now, Enjoy your weekend!
Aafke Eppinga
editor-in-chief at Innovation Origins