BEIJING (Reuters) — China hopes the Netherlands will support companies in fulfilling their contractual obligations and ensure “normal” trade of lithography machines, said Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.
In a meeting with Dutch Trade Minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen on Wednesday, Wang added that China regards the Netherlands as a “trustworthy” economic and trade partner.
The two men held in-depth talks on issues including the export of lithography machines to China and cooperation in the semiconductor industry, according to a statement from the Chinese Commerce Ministry on Thursday.
Earlier this year, the Dutch government began denying licenses for Dutch firm ASML to export advanced immersion deep ultraviolet (DUV) tool lines to China, joining a U.S. effort to curb chip exports to the world’s second-biggest economy.
The Dutch trade minister was part of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s delegation visiting Beijing earlier this week.
