Micron Technology is facing a lawsuit from China’s Yangtze Memory Technologies over alleged patent infringement. It’s another sign that memory chip maker Micron is on the front lines of the U.S.-China tension over access to semiconductor technology.
YMTC is a partially state-owned company and one of China’s most advanced memory-chip manufacturers. It has been placed on an export blacklist by the U.S. government, restricting its ability to acquire American technology and intellectual property. Micron has already been the target of Chinese sanctions. Earlier this year, China’s Cyberspace Administration told companies involved in the country’s critical information systems to stop buying chips from Micron, saying they pose a “major security risk,” without elaborating.