U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has expressed concerns to senior leaders at Dutch chip-equipment firm ASML that one of the company's top-of-the-line extreme ultraviolet lithography, or EUV, machines may have made its way into China. Such a move would be in violation of U.S.-led export restrictions.
The accusation comes as ASML contends with challenges under the Trump administration. During a series of recent meetings, Lutnick outlined Washington's belief that one of the machines slipped into China, though the U.S. has not shown proof.
ASML has denied the claims, with a company spokesperson stating that the firm has never shipped an EUV machine to China. There is also commercial logic suggesting that ASML would not risk its export license to arm a Chinese customer.