China chipmaker CXMT sues Pentagon over military-linked blacklist
Why it matters: The designation can restrict US contracts and deepen commercial damage as CXMT seeks long-term entry into the US market.
ChangXin Memory Technologies, China’s top DRAM chipmaker, filed suit in federal court in Washington on Aug. 28 seeking removal from a Pentagon list of companies the United States says are tied to China’s military. CXMT argues the designation was arbitrary, lacked evidence and violated due process. The company said it makes memory chips for civilian and commercial use, including in smartphones, PCs, servers and AI systems. According to the complaint, the Defense Department first listed CXMT in January 2025, then published and withdrew a notice of removal in February 2026 before keeping it on the list in a June update. The case names the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg and Michael Cadenazzi as defendants.