US Extends Huawei Trade Licence Again

Capgemini

US Commerce Department grants its fifth licence extension for Huawei, to allow the Chinese firm to continue trading with US companies

Huawei Technologies has been granted another trade extension by the US Commerce Department, to allow it to continue trading with American firms.

Huawei had been placed on a trade blacklist by the United States back in May 2019, after an executive order by President Donald Trump that declared a national security emergency against Chinese firms.

And almost immediately after the President’s executive order, the US Commerce Dept added Huawei and 70 affiliates to its so-called Entity List, which banned them from buying parts and components from US companies without US government approval.

Image credit: Huawei

Another extension

That decision made it difficult, if not impossible, for Huawei, to sell some products because of its reliance on US suppliers for essential silicon and other components.

However just days later in May 2019, the US Commerce Department announced a 90-day delay to the imposition of trade restrictions on Huawei.

The US then granted another extension in August 2019, and then in November it granted its third such 90-day extension.

Fast forward to mid February, and the US Commerce Dept again announced it was extending a temporary general license for 45 days allowing US companies to continue doing some business with Huawei.

And now the US Commerce Dept has granted its fifth such extension, extending a license allowing US companies to continue doing business with Huawei until 15 May.

Meanwhile the United States is reportedly weighing new regulations to stop more foreign shipments of products with US technology to Huawei.

And the United States continues to pressure allies not to use Huawei for their 5G networks.

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