U.S. Lawmakers Urge Ban on Chinese Memory Chips, Warn of National Security Risks

U.S. lawmakers John Moolenaar (Republican) and George Whitesides (Democrat) have formally requested Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to ban imports of memory chips from Chinese manufacturers CXMT and YMTC, citing unacceptable risks to national, economic, and supply chain security. The lawmakers argue that purchases from these companies, which they claim have ties to the Chinese military, indirectly support the People's Liberation Army's development of dual-use technology. They also urge the U.S. to coordinate with allies including Japan, South Korea, and the EU to prevent Chinese memory firms from embedding themselves in allied supply chains during a global DRAM shortage driven by AI infrastructure expansion. Apple and other U.S. tech companies have sought approval to source memory from CXMT amid supply constraints, while Corsair and Patriot Memory already use Chinese chips. The letter warns that dependence on Chinese memory could weaken Western production capacity and create strategic leverage for China, echoing past patterns in solar, steel, telecom, and EV markets.