BEIJING - China hopes the Netherlands would support companies in fulfilling their contractual obligations and ensure "normal" trade of lithography machines, said Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

In a meeting with Dutch Trade Minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen on Wednesday, Wang added that China regarded the Netherlands as a "trustworthy" economic and trade partner.

Both men held in-depth talks on issues including the export of lithography machines to China and cooperation in the semiconductor industry, according to a statement from the Chinese commerce ministry on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the Dutch government began denying licences for Dutch firm ASML to export advanced "DUV" tool lines to China, joining a U.S. effort to curb chip exports to the world's second-biggest economy.

The Dutch trade minister was part of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's delegation visiting Beijing earlier this week. REUTERS