There has been a lot of news about the global lithography giant ASML recently.
Just the day before yesterday, ASML CEO Peter Wennink stated in an interview with Dutch media that isolating China is meaningless and they can find a solution.
Earlier, ASML stated that all DUV lithography machines could be sold to China within the year without any restrictions, and ASML had a license that was valid throughout the year.
Even earlier, Peter Wennink publicly stated that "export controls will accelerate China's independent research and development, and they will do everything in 15 years. Actually, even earlier, Peter Wennink also said similar things
In fact, behind these statements, they all share the same meaning, which is that ASML wants to sell lithography machines to China and feels that restricting the export of lithography machines to China is meaningless. Restriction will accelerate China's research and development, and in the end, everything will come out, which will actually put itself in an awkward situation.
For ASML, it is a seller of lithography machines. With a large number of lithography machines sold, high market share, and no competitors, it is the greatest success. As for chip wars and games, they are not the ones to consider, nor can they consider.
How to sell your lithography machine so that you don't have any competitors?
That is to sell more lithography machines in the world's largest markets, and then have the money and technology to develop rapidly. If friends cannot catch up with you, then you will always be leading and customers will continue to buy your lithography machines. This will stabilize your position, income, and profits.
China is the world's largest chip market, and in recent years, the development of the wafer market has also been the fastest in the world.
So China's demand for lithography machines may not be the largest, but they must be among the top in the world, and more importantly, their potential is the highest in the world. Such a market is crucial for ASML.
So ASML hopes to sell lithography machines to China, including all lithography machines such as EUVs, DUVs, etc. After all, China's self-developed lithography machines are still far from the level of ASML.
Once all lithography machines can be purchased from ASML, China will not be so eager to self research, and for a long time, it will not pose a threat to ASML, and its position will be stable.
If ASML's lithography machines cannot be sold to China, then China will be forced to develop their own. ASML believes that within 15 years, China may be able to develop EUV lithography, so not only does China no longer need ASML's lithography machines, but even other customers may be "moved to another place".
So ASML has a strong sense of crisis. In ASML's view, the chip war between the United States and China is none of my business. I just need to sell a lithography machine well, but you still don't want me to sell it. Of course, I say every day that suppressing it is meaningless. China will develop it on its own, beat the drum, and see if it can start selling more lithography machines.
