Huawei Technologies has asked Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix for a stable memory chip supply amid mounting pressure from the US to isolate the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker, the Korea Economic Daily reported.

The Shenzhen-based company called in senior executives at the two South Korean chip makers’ Chinese units to request a stable supply of the chips regardless of the recent US government move, the report said, citing unidentified industry sources.

Huawei, the world’s largest telecoms gear supplier, is one of the five biggest clients for Samsung and SK Hynix, spending around 10 trillion won (US$8.1 billion) to buy DRAM and NAND flash memory chips from the two South Korean companies every year, according to the report.

The request comes amid rising pressure against global tech suppliers after US President Donald Trump barred any chip maker using American technology from supplying Huawei without Washington’s approval.

While memory chip makers are not subject to the US government restrictions, Huawei worries that the Trump administration could widen its restrictions later, according to the report.

As the two South Korean companies supply more than 70 per cent of the DRAM memory chips globally, including them in any US action would threaten the survival of Huawei, the report said.

The newspaper cited an industry official it did not identify as saying that Huawei is quickly building its memory chip inventory in preparation for a worst-case scenario.