> ASML's EUV machines cannot be reverse engineered.

Probably not as carbon-copy. But certainly important parts, or older versions.

ASML isn't just selling a millions-dollar-machine, they sell maintenance, support, upgrades, refurbishing. All these pieces are important in themselves, not just the whole assembled machine. Any single piece that can be reversed-engineered can be a danger to their moat.

This isn't just ASML, this is any hi-tech industry. I worked in power-plants, where ABB didn't just sell us gas-turbines, they sold a package, from Swiss engineers coming twice a year to help us tune them to "we now have these nozzles that make them 1.2% more efficient in hot weather, we can come replace them". Or the story on the HN frontpage recently, where Russian airlines are running out of brakes: just imagine being, say, a Russian factory that makes, say, brakes for Tupolevs and you can reverse-engineer Airbus brakes and start making them. High margins guaranteed.

So yes: ASML is rightfully very careful with Chinese competion and espionage¹

¹ https://nos-nl.translate.goog/artikel/2280228-wat-heeft-de-c...

All what you said may be true, but ASML would still be foolish to trust and export to China, given that the latter is hell bent on copying and reverse engg its products, even if unsuccessfully for now.

Dont assist even your incompetent adversary. Competition 101.