By early 2026, Chinese semiconductor manufacturers had acquired 343 immersion deep ultraviolet lithography systems from ASML. According to the Center for Technology and National Security Policy, the fleet includes 270 Twinscan NXT:1980i units, 28 advanced NXT:2050i and NXT:2100i models, and 45 older systems.
Imports surged in 2024 and 2025, with China bringing in approximately 90 and 89 NXT:1980i units respectively. Total expenditure for these two years exceeded $13 billion. While not the latest generation, the NXT:1980i equipment is capable of producing 7nm logic chips and HBM2e memory used in Huawei Ascend AI accelerators.
Analysts estimate that a single NXT:1980i unit can support the production of over 100,000 Ascend 910C-level chips annually, provided sufficient auxiliary equipment is available. This existing infrastructure is expected to sustain 7nm chip manufacturing for several years, exceeding current domestic requirements.
China's share of ASML immersion DUV system shipments has seen a significant increase. It grew from 26 percent in 2022 to a range of 60 to 70 percent between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2026.
