The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that US officials are looking to discuss a Defense Department proposal this month that would allow Chinese chip maker SMIC to buy critical US technology. Some Commerce Department officials are trying to block the Defense Department’s proposal, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) was added last year to a US blacklist that denies access to advanced manufacturing equipment from US suppliers because of alleged links with China’s military, claims the company denies. SMIC, China’s largest contract chip maker, did not immediately respond to a request for…