No warnings, no buffer! In January this year, the Dutch government suddenly announced new export control regulations targeting China. This document pointed directly at the heart of China's high-tech industry - lithography machines.

It targets ASML's immersion DUV lithography machines. In other words, models such as TWINSCAN NXT:2000i and NXT:2050i.

From now on, selling these machines to China will require the Dutch government's approval for each machine individually.

How important are these machines? Simply put, they are the "mother machines" for manufacturing advanced chips. The increasingly smaller and more powerful chips in your phone, car, and computer are largely dependent on this equipment.

These bridges to 7nm advanced processes are the lifeline for Chinese chip factories to expand capacity and catch up with global standards.

Many people think that the Netherlands is just yielding under U.S. pressure, reluctantly. If you think so, you're seriously underestimating this storm. The Netherlands has orchestrated a calculated, gradually tightening strategic blockade, aiming to make you fall behind completely.

At first, they completely banned the export of the most advanced EUV lithography machines. Then, in 2023, they extended their reach to the next tier of DUV. By 2024, even issued licenses could be revoked.

Now, the Netherlands is no longer pretending. They have welded shut the door to high-end DUV, aiming to lock us permanently in the low end.

In response to this almost robbery-like behavior, China clearly expressed strong opposition.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce repeatedly emphasized that the Dutch action is an abuse of export control measures, not only deviating from free trade rules but also causing serious damage to the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain, and demanding the Dutch side to immediately correct its wrong approach.

But on this chessboard of great power rivalry, reason and rules sometimes seem so weak. Even ASML, the world's only giant, can only swallow its anger and comply.

ASML announced that it will follow the government's regulations. This company that once made a fortune in the Chinese market has ultimately become a knife in someone else's hand, powerless.

The real goal of the Netherlands may be to extinguish the entire high-tech industry of China, making you lose all momentum in future global competition. They fear a China that can match them technologically.

This sudden blockade has cast a shadow over the future of many domestic chip factories, even facing the risk of shutdown. But on the other hand, it has turned the option of "domestic substitution" from "can do" into the only way of "must do, and do it desperately".

Under pressure, there is always a rebound. Faced with continuous suppression, China did not fall, but instead poured more resources and talents into the long road of independent R&D.

From lithography chemicals to special gases, and then to core components, a supply chain of our own is growing stubbornly under immense pressure.

Shanghai Micro Electronics has made significant breakthroughs in 28nm lithography machines, and the cost is much lower than foreign ones. This is the best answer!

History has long told us that trying to confine China through embargoes has never succeeded. From the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" to today's space station, every one of them was developed under embargoes.

Those who try to build a "technological wall" to keep us out forever will eventually find out that they have created a stronger and more formidable opponent themselves.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854257975495680/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.