Kathrine Frich
The manufacturer firmly rejects the accusation.
When a specific technology holds the key to the future, everyone wants to control it.
Behind the scenes, the fight for dominance often pits close allies against each other.
Now, a wild accusation is threatening a massive global partnership.
A missing machine
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dropped a bombshell on the technology world by suggesting a highly restricted microchip machine has reached China.
According to Onet these tools are the holy grail of artificial intelligence. A Dutch company named ASML is the only manufacturer capable of building them.
The manufacturer firmly rejects the accusation. ASML executives issued a clear response, noting, “That’s impossible.”
The company tracks every unit and told US officials they know the exact location of all 340 machines ever built. They also maintain strict control over shipping.
ASML stated, “ASML has never shipped an EUV machine to China, nor has it shipped any component, module, or equipment specifically designed for use in an EUV machine to China,”
Despite the explosive claim, Washington has provided no concrete proof.
Pushing back hard
Dutch authorities refuse to launch a blind probe. Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma visited Washington to defend his country and its strict export rules.
Speaking to The Economist, the minister confirmed his government is not currently investigating the claims.
He explained, “If there were issues that needed to be investigated, perhaps even criminal proceedings, we would of course do so,”
Experts doubt an entire machine vanished without a trace. Instead, insiders suspect the real dispute centres on older technology that ASML legally sells to Chinese buyers.
The wider battle
This clash exposes a growing crack between the Trump administration and European leaders. Across the Atlantic, US officials openly worry that Europe is playing too nice with Beijing.
Meanwhile, a proposed American law called the MATCH Act is fueling further anger. The aggressive bill would force foreign companies to cut off service for older machines already operating inside China.
Supporters argue that national security must always come first. Gregory Allen, a former Pentagon strategy director, told The Economist, “I don’t support politely asking companies not to do this. I support making it illegal,”
Protecting their own
European officials strongly dislike this aggressive American approach. They feel Washington is unfairly trying to police foreign businesses while securing its own private deals.
Sjoerdsma made his deep frustration clear. He noted, “We believe that each country is best placed to decide which technologies its companies should develop and what security risks this may or may not entail,”
Sources: Onet, The Economist
