In a Nutshell | Apple Seeks Approval to Buy Memory Chips from Blacklisted Chinese Supplier

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JOHANNESBURG – Apple is lobbying the Trump administration for permission to source memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a Chinese semiconductor manufacturer that has been placed on the Pentagon’s blacklist over alleged ties to China’s military.

The move reflects mounting pressure on Apple from soaring global memory chip prices, which recently prompted the company to increase MacBook and iPad prices by around 20%, a decision that erased approximately $263 billion from its market value in a single trading session.

Although the Pentagon’s blacklist does not legally prohibit American companies from doing business with CXMT, Apple is seeking assurances that future U.S. export controls will not disrupt the supply relationship. The company argues that adding another supplier could help stabilize costs and reduce dependence on existing memory manufacturers.

The request comes at a delicate moment in U.S.-China relations, with Washington temporarily slowing new technology restrictions following recent talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, Apple’s lobbying effort faces strong political resistance in Congress, where lawmakers warn that purchasing chips from a Chinese state-backed company could deepen U.S. dependence on China’s semiconductor industry.

Critics argue that approving the deal would undermine America’s broader strategy of securing critical technology supply chains and reducing reliance on Chinese manufacturers, particularly in sectors linked to artificial intelligence and national security.

For Apple, the issue has become a balancing act between protecting profit margins amid rising component costs and navigating increasingly complex geopolitical tensions surrounding advanced technology.