China has successfully produced a prototype ultraviolet lithography machine for advanced chip manufacturing, according to Reuters.
The country has built a prototype extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine in Shenzhen—technology considered essential for producing the world’s most advanced semiconductors. Until now, ASML of the Netherlands has been the only company to successfully commercialize EUV lithography.
ASML’s EUV machines, which cost around $250 million each, are critical for manufacturing cutting-edge chips designed by companies such as Nvidia and AMD, and produced by TSMC, Intel, and Samsung.
China’s achievement marks the culmination of a six-year, state-backed program aimed at achieving semiconductor self-sufficiency. The effort has been compared by insiders to China’s version of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. wartime initiative that led to the development of the atomic bomb.
According to sources cited by Reuters, the Chinese prototype is capable of generating EUV light and is currently undergoing testing. However, it has not yet been used to produce working chips, with timelines for practical deployment reportedly targeting 2028 to 2030.
Sources also indicate that former ASML engineers have contributed to reverse-engineering parts of the system, while Huawei is coordinating a broader effort involving research institutes, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
“The aim is for China to eventually be able to produce advanced chips using machines that are entirely made in China,” one source said.
Beijing ultimately seeks to remove all foreign technology from its semiconductor supply chains, achieving full domestic control over advanced chip production.
