CXMT Corp Sues US Defense Department Over Military Blacklist

CXMT Corp, a Chinese memory-chip manufacturer and the world's fourth-largest DRAM maker, has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia against the US Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The company is seeking removal from a blacklist that identifies it as a supporter of the Chinese military, a designation first applied in January 2025.

CXMT argues that it designs chips exclusively for civilian and commercial use and maintains that it has no affiliation with the Chinese military. The company claims the designation has caused significant reputational and commercial harm, though it notes the blacklist does not currently affect its daily operations. The designation typically restricts access to military contracts and research funding while serving as a warning to US investors.

The legal challenge comes as CXMT becomes central to China's strategy to reduce reliance on foreign technology. The company is also reportedly in talks to supply memory chips to Apple Inc. for devices sold within the Chinese market.