AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: The Dutch government has announced that it will restrict the export of some chip manufacturing equipment to China, at the urging of the United States.

The move drew an angry response from China.

“We have taken this step in the interest of our national security,” said Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher, noting that this chip manufacturing equipment could be used for military purposes in China.

At the same time, the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands described the move as an “abuse of export control measures” that violate trade rules.

The new export rules, to go into effect September 1, will require export licenses be applied for before shipping certain chip making equipment out of the Netherlands.

In making the announcement, the Dutch government also supplied a list of what types of chip making equipment will require export licenses.

The announcement in Amsterdam follows the US signing an agreement with the Netherlands and Japan, two countries with chip manufacturing industries, to reduce exports to China.

In March, the Netherland’s ASML, Europe’s largest technology company, said export licenses would now be required, in general, for the export of certain equipment.

In October, 2022 the United States reduced exports by American companies of sophisticated chip manufacturing equipment. At the same time, it urged other countries to enact similar restrictions.

At the time, China protested the US move. Other products now restricted from being sent from the US to China include 5G cellular equipment.

Meanwhile, China has called upon the Netherlands to “immediately correct its wrongdoings,” claiming such trade restrictions would harm both countries.

A government spokesperson in the Netherlands said the restrictions will effect no more than 20 purchases per year, representing a “limited part of the total product portfolio of the companies that fall under this rule.”

Of note, European Union countries generally restrict exports on security grounds. In fact, though, few European countries manufacture sophisticated chip making equipment.