Apple seeks Trump admin approval to buy memory from blacklisted Chinese company
Apple is seeking approval from the Trump administration to purchase memory chips from YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies Co.), a Chinese company that has been blacklisted by the U.S. government. The request reflects Apple's efforts to diversify its supply chain amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China.
Background
- Apple is asking the Trump administration for a license to buy memory chips from a Chinese company on the U.S. "Entity List" (a trade blacklist), which normally bars American firms from doing business with listed entities.
- The Chinese company is likely YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp.), a major NAND flash memory maker blacklisted in 2022 over alleged ties to the Chinese military and tech-transfer risks.
- The request is notable because Apple has been publicly reducing its supply chain dependence on China, yet now seeks an exception — likely driven by pricing, supply constraints, or technical need for specific flash memory used in iPhones.
- This highlights the tension between U.S. national security policy (containing Chinese tech) and the reality of global electronics supply chains, where cutting off sanctioned suppliers can raise costs or delay products.