--- title: "Trump Ready to Allow Apple to Buy Memory from Chinese CXMT and YMTC Ahead of Meeting with Xi Jinping" description: "The Trump administration is preparing to grant Apple permission to buy DRAM and NAND memory from Chinese CXMT and YMTC ahead of a September meeting with Xi Jinping. Congress is demanding that Apple abandon the plan, while CXMT faces capacity constraints." date: 2026-08-23T17:17:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/trump-ready-to-allow-apple-buy-memory-from-chinese-cxmt-and-ymtc tags: [apple, china, semiconductors, trump, cxmt, ymtc, memory-chips, trade-policy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Trump Ready to Allow Apple to Buy Memory from Chinese CXMT and YMTC Ahead of Meeting with Xi Jinping ![Donald Trump speaking into a microphone against the US flag ahead of a possible meeting with Xi Jinping over Apple's memory chip purchases from CXMT and YMTC](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/23/tramp-razreshit-apple-zakupat-pamyat-u-kitayskix-cxmt-i-ymtc/tramp-razreshit-apple-zakupat-pamyat-u-kitayskix-cxmt-i-ymtc-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The Trump administration is preparing to grant Apple permission to buy memory from CXMT and YMTC ahead of a September meeting with Xi Jinping - CXMT is on the U.S. blacklist due to alleged ties to the PLA - A group of Congress lawmakers is demanding that Apple abandon Chinese memory and disclose the technical data it shared - CXMT has limited capacity and refused to lower prices, casting doubt on the deal's benefit for Apple According to a source cited by Mobile Chip Expert, the Donald Trump administration is preparing to lift restrictions on Apple's purchases of memory from two Chinese manufacturers — CXMT (DRAM) and YMTC (NAND). The decision is expected to be made against the backdrop of preparations for a September in-person meeting between the U.S. president and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In Washington, it is already being openly discussed that such a concession could serve as a diplomatic gesture toward Beijing ahead of the talks between the two heads of state. ### Testing Is Already Under Way: CXMT and YMTC in Apple's Supply Chain According to available information, Apple is already at the stage of testing DRAM chips from CXMT and NAND memory from YMTC, considering them as a potential part of its own supply chain. Notably, CXMT is listed on the U.S. "blacklist" due to alleged ties to the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Nevertheless, the company has made attempts to obtain permission to cooperate with the American giant. At the same time, under the terms, the Chinese memory would be intended exclusively for devices sold within the territory of the PRC, which was supposed to reduce risks to U.S. national security. ### Congress Demands That Apple Abandon Chinese Memory In Congress, this prospect was met with little enthusiasm. A group of American lawmakers sent a demand to Apple to abandon plans to purchase memory in China and to disclose technical information that the company may have shared with CXMT and YMTC during testing. For the lawmakers, the key question remains whether any data that could be used in the interest of the Chinese military was passed to the Chinese manufacturers, given CXMT's status on the sanctions list. ### Production Constraints and a Pricing Dead End Even if Washington gives formal approval, the deal is not guaranteed. CXMT currently has limited production capacity and, by estimates, may not be able to handle the volumes that Apple needs to ensure supply. Moreover, according to the source, the Chinese manufacturer allegedly refused to lower prices at Apple's request, gaining an additional negotiating lever thanks to growing domestic demand from Huawei and Xiaomi. As a result, analysts warn that the negotiations risk being more beneficial for Beijing than for Apple itself. ### Contradictory Data Publications by various outlets show discrepancies in the timeline of the decision. A number of sources (including goha.ru) frame the event as already having taken place: "the U.S. president will allow Apple to buy memory in China," which implies that the decision has been made or is at the final stage. At the same time, Mobile Chip Expert, cited by 3dnews.ru and ixbt.com, indicates that an official decision by the administration may only follow after the in-person meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping in September 2026. Thus, as of August 23, 2026, the status of the permission remains uncertain: no formal document lifting the restrictions has been publicly released, and the process is at the preparation and interagency coordination stage. ### Context: Why This Matters for the Technological Balance The situation with Apple and Chinese memory fits into the broader context of the U.S.–China technological confrontation. On the one hand, Washington has been consistently narrowing Chinese manufacturers' access to the American market and components. On the other hand, major American corporations, including Apple, are facing shortages and rising prices for semiconductor memory, forcing them to seek alternative sources. Permission to buy from CXMT and YMTC would set a precedent: a company from the "blacklist" would for the first time gain access to a supply chain of such scale. For Beijing, this would confirm that diplomatic pressure and the negotiation process with Trump are capable of changing sanctions policy, strengthening its position in broader trade and technology negotiations. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [No one is allowed, but if you're friends with Trump, you can: U.S. president to allow Apple to buy memory in China](https://www.goha.ru/nikomu-nelzya-no-esli-druzhit-s-trampom-to-mozhno-prezident-ssha-razreshit-apple-zakupat-pamyat-v-kitae-40LRjw) - Подтверждает факт подготовки разрешения и дипломатический контекст встречи с Си Цзиньпином. Формулировка «разрешит» может трактоваться как уже принятое решение, что расходится с данными Mobile Chip Expert. - [Apple seeks the right to buy memory in China not only from CXMT but also from YMTC](https://3dnews.ru/1144450/apple-hotela-dobivaetsya-prava-zakupat-v-kitae-pamyat-ne-tolko-u-cxmt-no-i-ymtc?source=subscribeRu) - Подтверждает, что Apple тестирует DRAM от CXMT и NAND от YMTC, а также упоминает требования Конгресса. Указывает, что решение может последовать после сентябрьской встречи. - [Trump may allow Apple to buy memory for iPhone from Chinese companies](https://www.ixbt.com/news/2026/08/22/429696-tramp-mozet-razresit-apple-zakupat-pamiat-dlia-iphone-u-kitaiskix-kompanii.html) - Подтверждает основной нарратив. Указывает на ограниченные мощности CXMT и ценовой вопрос. Дата публикации 22.08.2026. - [CXMT and YMTC are companies tied to the Chinese military. And their memory could end up in iPhone](https://www.securitylab.ru/news/575511.php) - Подтверждает статус CXMT в чёрном списке из-за связей с НОАК и акцентирует риски для национальной безопасности. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why does Apple want to buy memory from Chinese companies? **A:** Apple is facing shortages and rising prices for semiconductor memory. Testing DRAM from CXMT and NAND from YMTC allows the company to diversify its supply chain. At the same time, under the terms, the Chinese memory would be intended only for devices sold in the PRC. ### Q: Why is CXMT on the U.S. blacklist? **A:** CXMT has been placed on the U.S. sanctions list due to alleged ties to the Chinese People's Liberation Army. This makes any cooperation with the company sensitive from a national security standpoint and draws objections in Congress. ### Q: When will the final decision be made? **A:** According to Mobile Chip Expert, an official decision by the U.S. administration may follow after the in-person meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping in September 2026. As of August 23, 2026, no formal document lifting the restrictions has been publicly released. ### Q: Is the deal between Apple and CXMT guaranteed? **A:** No. CXMT has limited production capacity and may not be able to handle Apple's volumes. Moreover, the company allegedly refused to lower prices, relying on demand from Huawei and Xiaomi, which casts doubt on the economic benefit of the deal for Apple.