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US Commerce Dept May Issue Temporary Reprieve From Huawei Trade Restrictions

The US Department of Commerce might issue a temporary reprieve for some of the trade restrictions placed on Chinese tech giant Huawei earlier this week when it was placed on a blacklist due to security concerns, a spokesperson for the department told Reuters said Friday.
Sputnik

The spokesperson indicated that Huawei might get a 90-day temporary license saving existing transactions from being subjected to the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) Entity List, which requires companies to obtain licenses before selling products to foreign entities on the list.

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The spokesperson said this temporary license would be for the benefit of the US companies — not Huawei — so they could "maintain reliability of their communications networks and equipment."

Huawei is the world's second-largest cellphone maker and a major figure in the burgeoning 5G market, where it's made its mark by extending high-speed internet access to more isolated and rural areas in particular.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump directed the Commerce Department and other relevant US agencies to draw up a plan for barring US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by foreign manufacturers if they're deemed a "national security risk," Sputnik reported.

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