The U.S. government is pressing allies including the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea and Japan to further tighten restrictions on China’s access to semiconductor technology, a controversial effort that’s drawing resistance in some countries, according to people familiar with the matter.
Washington's latest push is aimed at plugging holes in export controls it has levied over the past two years and restraining China’s progress in developing domestic chip capabilities, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. For example, the U.S. is urging the Netherlands to stop ASML from servicing and repairing sensitive chipmaking equipment that Chinese clients purchased before limits on sales of those devices were put into place this year, said the people.
The U.S. also wants Japanese companies to limit exports to China of specialized chemicals critical for chipmaking, including photoresist, they said. Japan is home to several leaders in photoresist, including JSR and Shin-Etsu Chemical.