China has reportedly developed a prototype extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine, a technological advancement that could signal a significant shift in the global semiconductor landscape, according to a report by Startup News Fyi titled “China Reportedly Has a Prototype EUV Machine Built by Ex-ASML Employees.” The machine, developed with contributions from former employees of Dutch chip equipment manufacturer ASML, a global leader in EUV technology, represents a potential breakthrough for China’s ambitions to achieve self-reliance in high-end semiconductor manufacturing.
EUV lithography, a critical technology for producing cutting-edge chips with features measuring as small as five nanometers or below, has long been dominated by ASML. Due to export restrictions placed by Western governments, particularly those influenced by United States policies, access to EUV systems has been tightly controlled and largely out of reach for Chinese firms. The United States and its allies have cited national security concerns in efforts to curb China’s access to advanced chipmaking tools.
According to the report, the prototype EUV machine was assembled by a Chinese startup leveraging expertise from a core group of former ASML engineers. While technical details remain scarce and the functionality of the machine has not been independently verified, the mere claim of a working prototype suggests that China may be closer to mitigating the strategic bottleneck imposed by current international restrictions.
Experts caution, however, that building a viable EUV tool involves not just engineering prowess but also the development of a complex ecosystem of materials, optics, and software—the kind of intricate supply chain that took ASML decades to master. Even a functioning prototype would likely require years of refinement before matching the performance and reliability of ASML’s machines, which now supply the world’s most advanced chipmakers, including TSMC, Samsung, and Intel.
Still, the development marks a symbolic if not yet commercial milestone in China’s ongoing campaign to bolster its domestic technology base. Since the imposition of sweeping U.S. export controls in recent years, China has doubled down on efforts to localize semiconductor production, investing billions into homegrown innovation and talent acquisition. The involvement of ex-ASML engineers, while not illegal, is likely to raise concerns in both political and industry circles about potential breaches of intellectual property or trade secrets, though no formal allegations have been made.
The report from Startup News Fyi has already drawn global attention, intensifying debates over global supply chain resilience and the geopolitics of semiconductors. If verified, the existence of a Chinese EUV prototype would signal not just a technological leap, but also a strategic challenge to the global status quo in chip production capabilities.
Industry analysts will be watching closely for further disclosures and demonstrations of the technology. Whether this prototype represents a laboratory achievement or the beginning of a scalable platform remains to be seen, but its emergence adds a new layer of complexity to the already high-stakes race for semiconductor supremacy.
