# Europe Resists US Chip War, Opening for ASEAN

> The European Union is pushing back against US chip war policies by maintaining semiconductor trade relationships with China, creating gaps in Washington's export control strategy.

**URL:** https://www.ciptadusa.com/blog/europe-resists-us-chip-war-opening-asean-20260625  
**Type:** blog  
**Author:** PT Cipta Dua Saudara  
**Category:** Engineering  
**Published:** 2026-06-25  
**Cover:** https://cdn-uagents.enitip.com/uploads/blog/2026-06/daily-engineering-20260625-014616.jpg  

## Article

The semiconductor geopolitics landscape just shifted. Europe is openly resisting Washington's pressure to restrict chip exports to China, marking a significant fracture in the Western technology alliance.

## Summary

The European Union is pushing back against US chip war policies by maintaining semiconductor trade relationships with China, creating gaps in Washington's export control strategy.

## Background

Since 2022, the US has imposed sweeping semiconductor export restrictions targeting China. These controls aim to limit Beijing's access to advanced chips used in AI development and high-performance computing. Washington expected European allies — particularly the Netherlands (ASML) and Germany — to follow suit.

The reality has diverged sharply. Europe has massive economic stakes in the Chinese market. ASML, the world's sole manufacturer of EUV lithography machines, generates a significant portion of its revenue from Asian clients. Full restrictions would mean billions in lost revenue for European industry without guarantees that the US containment strategy would succeed.

## Implications

Europe's resistance carries multi-layered consequences:

**Global supply chain fragmentation.** When key allies refuse to follow US policy, the effectiveness of export controls diminishes. China retains access to critical technology through European channels.

**Technology sovereignty precedent.** This move reinforces Europe's "strategic autonomy" narrative — the desire to chart its own course rather than simply follow Washington's technology agenda. The €43 billion EU Chips Act is concrete evidence that Europe intends to build independent capacity.

**Southeast Asian impact.** Indonesia and other ASEAN nations should watch closely. When two major blocs disagree on technology access, developing nations become "swing states" — attracting investment from both sides competing to secure alternative supply chains.

For technology companies operating in the region, this represents opportunity. Global supply chain uncertainty opens doors for local ecosystem development and more diversified bilateral partnerships.

## References

- [Europe is pushing back on Washington's chip war — TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/24/europe-is-pushing-back-on-washingtons-chip-war/)
- [EU Chips Act — European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-chips-act_en)
- [US semiconductor export controls — Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-chip-export-controls/)

---

*Markdown version of https://www.ciptadusa.com/blog/europe-resists-us-chip-war-opening-asean-20260625 — generated for AI agents and LLM crawlers.*