On the 31st (local time), Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans said, "China is increasing its espionage activities against our semiconductor technology."
Minister Brekelmans noted during an interview with Reuters, prompted by his attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, that "securing the intellectual property of our technologically leading semiconductor industry is something that China would find interesting."
The headquarters of semiconductor equipment manufacturer ASML is located in the Netherlands. This company is the only one in the world producing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, which is essential for semiconductor miniaturization. Leading semiconductor manufacturers wait for years to obtain this equipment, which is why ASML is known as a 'super乙.'
He stated, "According to the latest report released by our intelligence authorities, cyber threats from China are the most severe," and added, "The threat is expected to deepen further in the future."
Minister Brekelmans also stated in an interview that "China is leveraging its economic position for geopolitical reasons and to pressure us," and emphasized, "Stronger measures must be taken to reduce reliance at both the European Union (EU) level and individual member state levels."
Meanwhile, the Shangri-La Dialogue is considered the largest security meeting in the Asia-Pacific region. Organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), this meeting attracts a large number of security heads from the Asia-Pacific region. It has been held annually at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore since 2002 and is also referred to as the 'Shangri-La Dialogue.'