Diversify geopolitical risk! Dozens of ASML suppliers visited Southeast Asia to evaluate and set up factories

According to the announcement of the Brabant Development Agency in the Netherlands, dozens of senior suppliers of ASML, a Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, will visit Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore next week to assess their potential in Southeast Asia. Possibilities to diversify geopolitical risks and focus on Asian factories outside of China.

The Dutch Brabant Provincial Investment and Development Agency is one of the public units responsible for arranging the itinerary, and a joint statement with Brainport Industries pointed out that most suppliers joined the visit, mainly because they are considering going to Vietnam, Malaysia to expand or Set up a production base.

According to people familiar with the matter, almost all of the dozens of companies involved are suppliers of ASML, and ASML is one of the main suppliers of semiconductor manufacturers such as TSMC, Samsung and Intel. The possible investment is mainly to reduce China’s geopolitical risks.

Since the Biden administration of the United States is trying to limit China’s ability to manufacture its own advanced computer chips and delay China’s ability to develop its military, it is actively seeking the support of the Dutch government. Therefore, the Dutch government has never granted ASML a license to sell the most advanced machines to Chinese customers, and issued The latest regulations prevent ASML from exporting more cutting-edge equipment to China.

ASML’s core equipment “exposure machine” costs up to 160 million euros (about 170 million U.S. dollars) each, and is mainly used to mass-produce computer chips. Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher said that it is understandable that China’s interest in the Netherlands The decision to limit the export of chip technology was expressed in protest, but diplomatic relations between the two sides are expected to remain good.