Netherlands joins Pax Silica alliance as US tech diplomacy scores win amid ASML export disputes

Netherlands Formalizes Membership in US-Led Pax Silica Initiative

The Netherlands has officially joined Pax Silica, a US-led coalition of allied nations working to secure AI supply chains and reduce dependence on China for critical semiconductor technologies 3

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. Dutch Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma traveled to Washington this week to sign the declaration, meeting with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and lawmakers to formalize the partnership 1

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. The entry of the Netherlands represents a significant win for US tech diplomacy, particularly given the country hosts ASML, Europe's largest tech company and the world's leading manufacturer of advanced photolithography machines essential for cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication .

Strategic Importance of ASML in Chip Supply Chains

ASML's role as a critical bottleneck in global chip supply chains makes Dutch participation particularly valuable for the US-led Pax Silica initiative 1

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. The company produces the most advanced semiconductor equipment needed to manufacture AI-enabling technologies, giving the Netherlands outsized influence in geopolitical competition over chip manufacturing capabilities. While the Netherlands had been described as a "non-signing partner" since December 2025, this formal membership solidifies its commitment to coordinating with allies on securing semiconductor supply chains 1

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. Other governments that have joined include South Korea, Japan, Australia, Israel, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Greece, Qatar, the UAE, India, Sweden, Finland, the Philippines, and Norway 1

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. Taiwan, home to chipmaker TSMC, has endorsed the group as a non-signatory, while the European Union is expected to join at a future date 3

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MATCH Act Tensions Threaten Cooperative Relations

Despite joining Pax Silica, the Netherlands has raised serious concerns about the China chip export bill known as the MATCH Act, a bipartisan proposal introduced in April that would compel allies to align with Washington's tougher export controls 3

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. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Sjoerdsma acknowledged shared goals with the US in preventing sensitive technology from reaching dangerous hands, but warned that "elements in that Act seem to suggest that the United States might take control over some of these decisions that affect our national security and the way our companies operate" 3

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. He emphasized that if cooperation "becomes cooperation by force... that is undesirable from our point of view" 3

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. The Dutch minister stated bluntly in May that "the Netherlands' starting point is that every country is responsible for its own laws" 1

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Ongoing Disputes Over ASML's China Business

While the US and Netherlands have agreed to restrict ASML from sending China the advanced tools needed to make circuitry for AI chips, the countries disagree on whether ASML should be allowed to sell and service less-advanced equipment to Chinese customers 3

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. American legislation under consideration could make it difficult for companies like ASML to even service machines and tools already delivered to countries like China, which Sjoerdsma warned could affect the Netherlands' national security and market position of key Dutch companies 1

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. These discussions were reportedly ongoing and brought up in the meeting between Lutnick and Sjoerdsma this week 1

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. The Netherlands has demonstrated willingness to act on national security concerns, having famously seized key Dutch chip manufacturer Nexperia from its Chinese parent company Wingtech in 2025 1

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. However, the country appears determined to maintain control over trade restrictions affecting its own companies rather than submit to unilateral US demands.