Laptop chip tools maker ASML says considered one of its former staff primarily based in China stole details about its know-how, amid rising tensions between China and the US over semiconductors and different superior tech.
Chips are used to energy all the things from computer systems to weaponry - and the Dutch firm is without doubt one of the largest and most superior producers of the tech that's essential of their mass manufacturing.
ASML is particularly well-known for its lithography machines, which print patterns on silicon utilizing lights.
"We now have skilled unauthorised misappropriation of information referring to proprietary know-how by a (now) former worker in China,” the corporate mentioned in its 2022 annual report.
"On account of the safety incident, sure export management rules could have been violated. We're implementing extra remedial measures in mild of this incident," it added.
Nevertheless, ASML additionally mentioned it doesn't "consider that the misappropriation is materials to our enterprise”.
ASML didn’t give any additional particulars on the breach, simply that it was underneath inner assessment.
US-China chip warfare
ASML is without doubt one of the market leaders in its subject - and this breach fuels the continued rift between China and the West round controlling superior know-how.
In October final 12 months, the US put measures in place that imply firms exporting chips to China utilizing US instruments would wish particular licences - no matter the place the chips themselves have been made.
Extra just lately, Japan and the Netherlands have joined them, proscribing gross sales of sure equipment to China, in accordance with a report from Reuters.
This isn’t the primary time China has been accused of mental property infringement by ASML. In its 2021 annual report, the corporate mentioned one other enterprise “was actively advertising and marketing merchandise in China that would probably infringe on” its mental property rights.
On the time, ASML suggested it was monitoring the scenario and was “able to take authorized motion if acceptable”.
Following this newest replace from ASML, China’s Semiconductor Business Affiliation has added that if the West continues to place such measures in place, “it's going to trigger severe hurt to the semiconductor trade in China, with detriment to the worldwide financial system”.
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