Apple NASDAQ:AAPL is reportedly testing DRAM chips from China's state-backed ChangXin Memory Technologies, or CXMT, for devices sold in China as memory sourcing becomes another geopolitical pressure point.
The Financial Times reported that Apple is also lobbying the U.S. government to allow broader use of CXMT products. The move comes as Washington intensifies efforts to contain China's technology ambitions and Beijing pushes to build a more self-sufficient semiconductor and AI supply chain.
CXMT could become central to that effort. The memory-chip maker reportedly plans to raise at least 29.5 billion yuan, or about $4.3 billion, in a Shanghai IPO that could make it one of China's most prominent technology listings.
Apple has faced this pressure before. In 2022, the company drew criticism from U.S. policymakers after exploring the use of Chinese memory suppliers.