Biden hosts Netherlands PM for talks on semiconductor exports

President Joe Biden hosted Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday at the White House to talk about restricting China’s access to semiconductors. The U.S. Commerce Department announced in October new export controls aimed at China to limit the country’s ability to produce semiconductors that could be used in advanced military systems. Biden has been working to convince the Netherlands to adopt similar policies. Netherlands-based ASML produces lithography machines that can design and produce semiconductors, and China is one of the company’s largest clients.

What else was discussed during the meeting? Rutte said the Netherlands will partner with the U.S. and Germany to provide Patriot missile batteries for Ukraine. The leaders also discussed the upcoming Summit for Democracy scheduled for late March. The U.S. and the Netherlands are cohosting the summit with Costa Rica, South Korea, and Zambia.

Dig deeper: Read Erica Kwong’s report in World Tour on what it’s like to live in Taiwan under the threat of Chinese invasion.