US Commerce Secretary Lutnick Says Apple Told Not to Buy Memory Chips from China
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the US government does not want Apple to purchase memory chips from China, and that this stance has been directly conveyed to Apple. Apple, facing memory supply tightness from the AI boom, is considering orders from Chinese manufacturers and lobbying the Trump administration for permission to buy from CXMT. Apple is not explicitly banned from buying from CXMT or YMTC, but both are on the Pentagon's Chinese military companies blacklist. Lutnick and Apple CEO Tim Cook attended a Houston facility opening on August 13, where Lutnick urged Apple to find alternative solutions.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the US government does not want Apple to purchase memory chips from China, adding that this position has been directly communicated to Apple.
Apple, facing memory supply tightness driven by the artificial intelligence boom, is considering placing orders with Chinese manufacturers. Reports have indicated that Apple is lobbying the Trump administration for permission to buy memory chips from Chinese memory chip maker CXMT, in an effort to ease financial pressure from rising memory chip prices. At present, Apple is not explicitly prohibited from buying chips from CXMT or another Chinese memory chip maker, YMTC, but the US Department of Defense has placed both companies on its "Chinese military companies blacklist."
Lutnick and Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook jointly attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Apple's new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, on August 13. Lutnick made the remarks in an interview after touring the plant, urging Apple to find other solutions to address the chip supply tightness. When asked whether the position had been conveyed to Apple, Lutnick confirmed that it had.
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