Despite ASML Dispute, Netherlands Joins U.S. AI Alliance 'Pax Silica'

Dutch Foreign Ministry Announces Decision on June 23

South Korea Also Participates in "Pax Silica"

Move Expected to Strengthen U.S. Technology Diplomacy

The Netherlands has decided to join "Pax Silica," a U.S.-led alliance for artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain cooperation. Despite differences with the United States regarding export controls on ASML, its domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturer, the Netherlands has chosen to align with the U.S. on AI supply chain collaboration.

ASML logo of the Dutch semiconductor equipment company. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News.

On the 23rd (local time), the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the country would join Pax Silica, a consultative body of U.S. allied nations for AI supply chain cooperation. This decision is seen as a move that strengthens the U.S. technological diplomacy strategy of expanding Pax Silica.

The announcement comes as Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, visited the United States to oppose the U.S. "Multilateral Alignment on Technology Controls Act" (Match Act). The Match Act, submitted to the U.S. Congress in April, aims to extend U.S. semiconductor manufacturing equipment export restrictions to allied countries, so that China cannot procure advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and components from countries other than the United States, such as the Netherlands and Japan.

The United States and the Netherlands have long had differing views regarding ASML's exports to China. While both countries have agreed to restrict exports of advanced equipment needed for manufacturing AI semiconductors to China, their opinions diverge on whether to permit the sale and maintenance of certain general-purpose semiconductor equipment to China.

The U.S. government suspects that ASML's state-of-the-art extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment may have been exported to China in violation of export controls. According to a Bloomberg report on the 19th, Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, conveyed concerns to senior ASML executives in a series of recent meetings that EUV lithography equipment may have made its way into China. Following these speculations, ASML has denied the allegations.

Currently, countries participating in Pax Silica include South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, Israel, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Qatar. Although Taiwan is not a formal member, it supports the alliance. The European Union (EU) is also being mentioned as a potential participant in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.