Apple has reportedly been lobbying the US government to approve memory chips from Chinese chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT). Meanwhile, the company is now facing growing scrutiny in Washington after a senior US government source described it as “a ticking time bomb for national security,” with bipartisan lawmakers preparing to seek a formal national security investigation following its stock market debut.According to a report by the New York Post, at least half a dozen members of Congress are expected to urge the Trump administration to examine whether Beijing played a role in CXMT’s initial public offering (IPO). A separate senior US government source described the chipmaker as being deeply embedded in “the Chinese industrial military complex,” calling its rapid expansion “a ticking time bomb for national security.”The move comes weeks after the Pentagon added CXMT to its list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States. One senior US official told The New York Post there is “a real suspicion that a Chinese Communist Party intervention played a role in this so-called IPO” just six weeks after the designation.“CXMT just got a massive cash infusion that will send shivers down the spines of the US intelligence community,” the source said.
Apple’s reported lobbying and Washington’s concerns
The scrutiny comes after The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Apple has been lobbying the US government to allow it to source memory chips from CXMT, citing supply shortages linked to the ongoing artificial intelligence boom.CXMT’s listing raised about $8.6 billion, with shares rising 466% during their Shanghai debut. The IPO valued the company at about 3.3 trillion yuan (around $487 billion), making it the most valuable company listed on a mainland Chinese exchange.Congressional leaders from the House and Senate, collectively known as the Gang of Eight, are also reportedly seeking an urgent classified briefing to assess Beijing’s involvement with the company.
Why US lawmakers want an investigation
The Pentagon added CXMT to its list of Chinese military companies on June 8, identifying firms that are directly or indirectly owned, controlled by, or acting on behalf of Chinese government entities or that contribute to China’s military-civil fusion strategy. The company has not been placed on a US blacklist.According to the report, lawmakers are expected to push for a formal national security investigation through the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual legislation that sets US defence policy and funding.US officials cited in the report expressed concern that Chinese-made memory chips used in consumer electronics could eventually enter American military supply chains, posing potential risks of espionage or cyber sabotage in future conflicts.
CXMT’s growing role in China’s chip ambitions
CXMT specialises in DRAM memory chips used in smartphones, electric vehicles, AI data centres and defence systems. While the company continues to compete with established chipmakers in advanced manufacturing, it has expanded its presence by producing legacy memory chips that face fewer international export restrictions.Its IPO comes as China continues to pour money into domestic semiconductor companies to reduce reliance on US technology amid ongoing export controls and restrictions imposed by Washington. Beijing has backed companies such as CXMT as part of its broader push to bolster domestic technology supply chains and strengthen its semiconductor industry, the report said.
