Micron Gets Help From US Patent Office in China Chips Battle

The patent war between Chinese chipmaker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. and its American rival Micron Technology Inc. has become a flashpoint in US-China tech competition over national security concerns.

US Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires issued an order in November requiring YMTC to justify why its patent challenges against Micron should proceed given the Chinese firm’s placement on a federal blacklist. He said the state-run company’s patent challenges may run contrary to the foreign policy interests of the US.

YMTC has until Nov. 24 to respond.

Squires’ order followed a memo he sent in October to Patent ...