Recently, news emerged that ASML, the Dutch lithography machine behemoth, had reportedly put forth a proposal to the US government, offering to serve as its "eyes and ears" in monitoring Chinese clients. This report swiftly prompted ASML to issue a clarification and a firm denial of the allegation. The accusation first surfaced in the new book The Most Important Machine in the World, with an ASML spokesperson explicitly stating that the book's descriptions are inaccurate.

According to reports, the controversy traces back to an agreement forged between the Netherlands and the US in January 2023. This agreement mandated the Netherlands to halt the sale of deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines to China starting from September 2023, with a complete sales ban planned by January 2024. Notably, sales of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines had already been prohibited earlier.

The new book alleges that during the transition period, ASML sold more DUV lithography machines than the agreed-upon quantity. Furthermore, it claims that ASML proposed to gather intelligence on the internal developments of Chinese companies through its engineers, in exchange for permission to continue its services. ASML has vehemently denied these accusations, emphasizing that it has not made such a proposal. The company further stressed that any act of providing client data would not only breach data privacy regulations but also erode public trust.