South China Morning Post, October 24th, 2023
On October 24th, 2023, South China Morning Post reported that a former employee of ASML Holding, a manufacturer of advanced semiconductor-making equipment, has been accused of stealing trade secrets. This individual later worked for Huawei Technologies, a Chinese telecommunications giant. The theft of data, related to proprietary technology, was disclosed by ASML in its 2022 annual report. The company did not specify the nature of the stolen data but mentioned unauthorized misappropriation by a former China-based employee. ASML reported the breach to authorities and implemented remedial measures, stating that it believed the breach would not significantly impact its business.
According to the Dutch newspaper NRC, the accused individual went on to work for Huawei after leaving ASML. ASML and Huawei have not yet responded to inquiries about these allegations. Since being placed on the US Entity List in 2019, Huawei has faced restrictions on accessing advanced chip technology using US components. This incident adds to concerns about intellectual property theft and talent poaching between companies in the semiconductor industry amid geopolitical tensions.
ASML, with a near-monopoly in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines crucial for advanced chip production, stopped exporting these machines to mainland China in 2019. The Dutch government has further imposed export controls, preventing ASML from shipping some less advanced lithography systems to China starting in January. This restricted access poses a challenge to China's goals of chip self-sufficiency.
There are also previous accusations by ASML and other chip-related companies against Chinese entities for intellectual property theft and talent poaching. It highlights a broader context of economic tensions and investigations involving technology companies in China and other nations.
Further information can be found here. (English)
