ASML did not expect the warning of Chinese companies, and foreign media speculated that 500 billion and chip patents could only choose one of them.
Lithography technology is known for"The crown jewel of the semiconductor industry"That's true!As the semiconductor equipment with the highest technology content, the widest chain and the highest precision in the world, the lithography machine is one of the precision equipment that wafer manufacturers are vying to buy.
As the world's largest wafer market, China has also acquired a large number of lithography machines used to produce wafers. It is reported that China's SMIC, Yangtze River Storage, Changxin Storage and other wafer foundries have purchased more than 1,000 lithography machines from the Dutch company ASML, and the total amount of these lithography machines exceeds 5 billion yuan, which is an extremely terrifying number. And just some time ago, foreign media said: ASML is 500 billion and chip patents. What's going on here?
In March of this year, the United States pulled the Netherlands and Japan in"Alliances", restricting China's access to advanced lithography equipment. Since then, Japan has successively issued 23 export controls on semiconductor equipment, directly including the 45nm process in the scope of export restrictions for lithography machines.
Immediately after that, the Netherlands also issued export controls on semiconductor equipment, which will be officially implemented on September 1. As the largest manufacturer of lithography machines in the Netherlands, ASML was the first to issue a statement on its official **: comply with the relevant regulations.
Since then, there have been rumors in the market that ASML will follow AMD's lead and launch a special version of the lithography machine in China. For this reason, ASML once again stated that it has not launched a special edition lithography machine for the Chinese market. In addition, there are rumors that ASML will suspend after-sales service.
ASML's successive statements have sparked criticism from domestic companies, the most representative of which is the buyback plan of Yangtze River Storage Equipment.
YMTC warns: either buy back the 1,000 lithography machines purchased and pay 500 billion yuan to Chinese companies. Otherwise, no patent will be granted for the lithography machine.
While YMTC's warning sounds good, objectively speaking, it is highly unlikely. Why?First of all, 500 billion is not a small amount, and even if ASML has a lot of money, it is impossible to take it all at once. Second, ASML did not sign a buyback agreement with a Chinese company, so there is no need for ASML to buy back lithography machines from a Chinese company. The most important thing is that Chinese companies have a very large demand for lithography machines, so Chinese companies are unwilling and impossible to let ASML buy back these 1,000 lithography machines.
Since the CKMS does not allow ASML to buy back lithography machines, why would you even come up with a plan to acquire them?In this regard, I think there are three points that need to be emphasized.
The first is to show the attitude, that is, the restriction of ASML on the export of lithography machines. China has always been ASML's largest customer, and in the second quarter of 2023 alone, Taiwan and Chinese mainland are ASML's first.
First, the second largest customer. This shows that ASML has a deep foundation for business cooperation with China.
However, ASML has followed in the footsteps of the United States and imposed export controls on lithography machines, which is undoubtedly a trampling on the basis of such cooperation, which is a burden that we cannot bear.
Second, it is also a deterrent to ASML, making it aware of the losses caused by restricting the export of lithography technology. Today, the semiconductor market is a global market with a division of labor and cooperation, and no one can be left alone. Today, ASML is following in the footsteps of the United States in the footsteps of the export control of lithography machines, undoubtedly breaking the pattern of global division of labor. Only by making ASML aware of the dangers of breaking the semiconductor market pattern will ASML be afraid of export controls on lithography machines. Obviously, the storage of this declaration by the Yangtze River is undoubtedly a deterrent to ASML, which is very necessary.
In the final analysis, it is to deter ASML, hoping that it will release export controls on lithography machines. Objectively speaking, the dependence of Chinese companies on ASML is far greater than the dependence of ASML on Chinese companies. Because ASML is the world's most technologically advanced and largest manufacturer of lithography machines, ASML's lithography machines are favored by customers all over the world. Even if ASML does not sell lithography machines to Chinese companies, other customers will buy lithography machines of a certain size from ASML.
In contrast, Chinese companies are in an awkward position: no manufacturer other than ASML can offer advanced DUV lithography machines and more advanced EUV lithography machines. It can be seen that in the supply and demand relationship of lithography machines, ASML is more active.
It is precisely because of this relationship that YMTC has the above statement, which is why YMTC hopes that ASML can sell lithography machines normally.
ASML is a company whose main goal is to make a profit. On this basis, ASML is willing to provide Chinese enterprises with the best lithography machine. The real situation is the same, in 2018, ASML sold lithography machines to SMIC, but due to the obstruction of the United States, this EUV lithography machine could not be shipped normally.
This time, ASML is following in the footsteps of the United States, and YMTC has made the strongest sound, allowing ASML to make a choice between 500 billion and patents. It is precisely because of this attitude of YMTC that foreign ** sighed: ASML should choose one of the 500 billion and patents. It can be seen that Chinese companies are no longer the cards that can be pinched by others.