US-China tech war: SMIC secures supply of chip-making equipment from ASML as signs suggest easing of sanctions

• ASML’s extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, required for producing leading edge 5- and 7-nm node chips, were not included in the purchase agreement
• SMIC plans to spend US$4.3 billion in capital expenditure this year, with most of the investment supporting expansion of processing capacity for mature nodes