Apple is actively lobbying the US government for permission to purchase memory chips from Chinese manufacturers currently placed on the Pentagon’s blacklist, according to a report by The Japan Times.
The Cupertino tech giant is seeking an exemption that would allow it to source components from entities such as ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), which remains under strict US export restrictions.
The move underscores the growing tension between US national security policy and the supply-chain realities of major American technology firms.
While Washington has tightened controls on semiconductor exports to China, Apple faces pressure to diversify its supplier base and manage costs.
The lobbying effort suggests that the company views access to Chinese memory production as critical to its operational strategy, despite the geopolitical risks.
This development adds another layer to the ongoing debate over US-China tech decoupling.