The U.S. Commerce Department on Aug. 19 confirmed that it was granting an additional 90 days for Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to buy supplies from American companies.
The agency also added an additional 46 Huawei affiliates to a special "Entity List" blocking U.S. firms from doing business with the affiliates without seeking special government approval.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in an interview with FOX Business said the 90-day extension was intended to limit disruption for U.S. customers and should be used by U.S. companies, particularly rural telecom operators, to wind down business with Huawei. The 90-day extension would give companies until "roughly" Nov. 19 to do so, Ross said on FOX.
Ross said the 46 Huawei subsidiaries were added to the government's Entity List to harden the U.S. government's restrictions against doing business with Huawei and reduce the likelihood of loopholes. There are now more than 100 Huawei affiliates on the list.
The U.S. government began putting Huawei and its affiliates on the Entity List in May, effectively blocking the Chinese telecommunication equipment provider from selling to U.S. companies due to concerns that Huawei's ties to the Chinese government could threaten U.S. national security.
