China quietly builds its own EUV chip machine—shaking up the tech race
Chinese scientists have pulled off something big: they've built a prototype EUV lithography machine, the kind needed to make super-advanced computer chips.
This factory-sized device is now being tested in a high-security lab in Shenzhen, all part of China's mission for chip self-sufficiency, with Huawei playing a central coordinating role.
How did they do it?
A team of former ASML engineers led the charge, reverse-engineering the system and earning huge bonuses—some even used fake names to keep things secret.
They pieced together parts from older ASML, Nikon, and Canon machines found on secondary markets.
What's next—and why does it matter?
With help from top Chinese research institutes and 100 dedicated grads, they're aiming for working chips by 2028 (though insiders say 2030 is more realistic).
This move surprised many—especially after US export bans were supposed to slow China down—and goes directly against what ASML's CEO predicted earlier this year.
It's a major plot twist in the ongoing tech rivalry between China and the US.