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US back peddles some of the trade restrictions imposed on Huawei

Have you ever done something then immediately realised you hadn’t planned for every eventuality? That appears to be what is happening in the US right now.

Yesterday the world was shocked to hear that Google had suspended Huawei’s Android license and access to Google apps following an executive order from President Donald Trump. The order gives government the power to prevent companies from buying telecommunications equipment from foreign countries, among other restrictions.

But now according to a report by CNBC, the US Commerce Department has back-peddled on some of the restrictions.

The Commerce Department has eased some of the restrictions imposed by government to allow Huawei to purchase American goods in order to maintain existing networks and provide software updates to existing Huawei devices.

Simply put, it appears as if the US only realised that Huawei sold devices to the rest of the world after it imposed trade restrictions on the firm.

The relief for Huawei and other blacklisted firms is not permanent however. The easing of restrictions is only in effect for 90 days.

“The Temporary General License grants operators time to make other arrangements and the Department space to determine the appropriate long term measures for Americans and foreign telecommunications providers that currently rely on Huawei equipment for critical services,” secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross told The Verge.

“In short, this license will allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks,” Ross added.

Now we’re not saying we’re lawmakers or in a position to be president of the US but surely the negative effects of restricting the second largest smartphone brand in the world and the largest provider of telecommunications kit would have been taken into consideration before putting the restrictions in place?

Meanwhile, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei hit back at the US government, saying that it underestimated the firm’s power.

“The current practice of US politicians underestimates our strength,” Zhengfei told CCTV according to Al Jazeera.

Whether this relief of restrictions will extend beyond 90 days remains to be seen.

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