Netherlands joins US blockade of Chinese chip industry The Dutch government has formally joined US efforts to deny China access to equipment and software essential to expanding the Middle Kingdom's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. The measures, revealed in a letter to the Dutch parliament from Trade minister Liesje Schreinemacher this week, doesn't name China or ASML, but …
So apart from:
Investing in R&D rather than financial engineering.
Hiring highly qualified staff and investing in their career over decades rather than firing everyone over 40 every time the stock dips.
Working with the customer rather than trying to screw them on every order.
Building links with universities and apprentice programs.
What's their secret? Preferably one that can fit into a single PowerPoint, doesn't coat any money and I can implement before this quarter's bonus window.
Stealing the designs doesn't help, you still have to get the parts.
Zeiss don't sell EUV lambda/20 off-axis parabola mirrors on Ebay, Cymer don't ship science-fiction light sources to China
Then you have to make it actually work, that involves a bunch of ASML and TSMC engineers that have been doing this for decades working together
To say they can't do a thing because they can't buy a part is the hallmark of an uninspired mind. How many embargo's are there on this that or the other in the world, and it does not stop growth from nuclear proliferation to chip manufacturing. People said that just because China got an old Soviet aircraft carrier, that that would not be enough to make a fleet. Now they have 3, with tech onboard they should not have parts or plans to build. To say that advancements will not be brought about from having the designs and plans and other IP because they can't buy Zeiss, is hilariously ignorant. Its not like Zeiss built a factory in China last year. Oh wait, no they did. I'm sure that nothing will be taken that is not spelled out in the contract for that joint venture. Tell me, where does China make their Zen clone, the Dhyana? It's not at TSMC. It may be a few gens behind, but those are hurdles that can be overcome, and having the blueprints will be a massive step in that direction.
The difficulty with sanctions is that you need to do everything yourself.
So you not only need to clone ASML's machines you need to copy all of the stuff that goes into ASML's machines.
So you need to copy Zeiss's mirrors. Which are unique, so unique that ASML bought Zeiss to ensure supply.
Then you need to also clone all the machine tools that Zeiss use to make and measure the mirrors, then you need to copy all the parts that go into those tools.
Then the same for every mechanism in an ASML machine.
Then the same for the light source that even ASML has to buy from cymer.
Just print the stories where the UK or EU has NOT immediately asked "How high?" when the US has said "Jump!". We can pretty much take it for granted that, when Washington announces some new warmongering or protectionist policy, it's a case of [to paraphrase Steve Jobs] "London and Brussels. Start your photocopiers!"
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