Retired ASML CEO, Peter Wennink, speaking to Dutch radio BNR, characterized the ongoing U.S.-China disputes over semiconductor exports as rooted in ideology rather than factual grounds.
Wennink, who concluded his decade-long tenure in April, expressed concerns over the escalating restrictions imposed by the U.S. on ASML’s exports to China, citing security reasons. He emphasized that these measures are shaping the technological trade landscape based on ideological rather than evidential considerations.
“These kind of discussions are not being conducted on the basis of facts or content or numbers or data but on the basis of ideology,” Wennink commented during the interview.
ASML, Europe‘s largest technology firm under Wennink’s leadership, has faced increasing regulatory challenges since 2018, particularly regarding its business operations in China, its second-largest market after Taiwan. Despite the geopolitical tensions, Wennink stressed ASML’s longstanding commitment to its Chinese customers and staff, spanning three decades.
“When ideology undermines stakeholder interests, it presents significant challenges for businesses,” Wennink added, noting his efforts to balance export regulations while addressing intellectual property concerns in China.
Forecasting a prolonged standoff, Wennink cautioned that the global chip war driven by geopolitical interests could endure for decades. “This is going to go on for a while,” he concluded.
