Bloomberg wrote: After the chip crisis between the Netherlands and China, the new cabinet will be filled with pro-China hawks!
The article stated that after the friction between the Netherlands and China over the ownership of NXP Semiconductor, the proportion of politicians with a hard-line stance towards China has significantly increased in the newly formed Dutch cabinet. The coalition negotiations for the new cabinet lasted several months, and the resulting governing coalition was dominated by the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), and the far-right Freedom Party (PVV). Among them, the leader of PVV, Wilders, has long held a hawkish position.
The Netherlands, as the only producer of ASML lithography machines, holds a special position in the global semiconductor supply chain. Since 2022, the United States has continuously pressured the Netherlands to restrict exports of advanced lithography equipment to China. Although the Netherlands initially hesitated, it eventually followed suit in 2023 and introduced export control measures. This policy shift required domestic consensus, and hawkish politicians have become the "ideal agents" for implementing the U.S. strategy to contain China's technological development.
Historically, the Netherlands was known for its openness and neutrality. However, in recent years, due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, energy crisis, and issues related to "foreign interference," security considerations have taken precedence. The NXP incident has been portrayed by some politicians as a typical case of "China infiltrating Europe's core industries through commercial means," which has been used to push legislation to tighten foreign investment review mechanisms. In this environment, moderate voices have been marginalized, and a hard line has become politically correct.
However, Da Ge believes that this move may further accelerate China's self-reliance in the semiconductor industry. As industry insiders say, without lithography machines, the Netherlands' weight in the global supply chain will greatly diminish; but if China breaks through EUV or advanced DUV lithography technology, the Netherlands' strategic leverage will also rapidly depreciate. Currently, China has made progress in mature process equipment, material purification, and packaging and testing. As the saying goes, "If you want to forge iron, you must first strengthen yourself." China's rise has been forged in such arduous and difficult circumstances.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856722817058880/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.