THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – MARCH 23: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte meets with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Catshuis on March 23, 2014 in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Valerie Coopers-Poole/Getty Images)
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China’s technological progress is unstoppable, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday during talks in Beijing on key semiconductor industries and other areas.
Xi Jinping pointed out, “The Chinese people also have the legitimate right to development, and no force can stop China’s scientific and technological progress.” Xinhua News Agency.
Xi Jinping said China would “continue to pursue a win-win approach”.
Relations between China and the Netherlands have been tense since the Netherlands and the United States blocked the export of advanced chip technology to China over concerns it could be used for military purposes.
Semiconductor chips are key components found in everything from smartphones to cars.
Dutch technology giant ASML is banned from exporting extreme ultraviolet lithography machines to China – it is currently the only company capable of manufacturing such machines, and so far it has not exported any EUV machines to China.
This EUV lithography machine is crucial for wafer manufacturing and is used by companies such as Taiwan British Semiconductor Fabricating the smallest and most complex wafers.
in January, Netherlands bans ASML It exports some deep-UV lithography systems to China, which are used to make slightly less advanced wafers.
Beijing slams Dutch government’s moveIt urged the Netherlands to “adhere to an objective and fair stance and market principles” and “protect the common interests of the two countries and their enterprises.”
“Erecting technological barriers and cutting off industrial and supply chains will only lead to division and confrontation,” Xi said on Wednesday, according to official Xinhua News Agency.
Cooperation is the only way out, he said, adding that “decoupling and breaking links” are not options.
Xi Jinping said that China is willing to continue dialogue with the Netherlands and urges the Netherlands to “provide a fair and transparent business environment for Chinese enterprises.”
According to ReutersRutte said on Wednesday that the Netherlands was trying to ensure that export restrictions related to the semiconductor industry and companies such as ASML were never targeted at any one country. “We always try to make sure the impact is limited,” he said.
According to Chinese state media, Rutte responded that decoupling is not a policy choice for the Dutch government, “because any behavior that harms China’s development interests will only reap its own consequences.”
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