China's domestic lithography tools still trail for advanced chipmaking

An examination of Chinese chipmaking tool roadmaps finds Beijing's domestic deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography program is targeting only about five machines a year, while its extreme ultraviolet (EUV) prototype has yet to produce any chips. The piece lays out three markers that would indicate whether China's domestic program becomes a real rival to Western toolmakers.

Why it matters: China's ability to manufacture advanced AI chips domestically hinges on lithography tools it currently can't produce at scale — this is relevant context for ongoing US export-control debates, including the White House's reported consideration of further chip-related hardware restrictions.