Huawei's indexing by the American authorities is not quite yet a reality. On Monday 18 November, the Trump administration announced that it had granted a new respite to American companies that, last May, were banned from trading with Huawei, considered an unreliable partner.
The U.S. decision therefore postpones until 16 February the obligation for U.S. companies to stop doing business with Huawei, to give them the opportunity to adapt. This is the third postponement. “The extension of the temporary licence (granted to Huawei, editor’s note) will allow us to continue to serve customers in some of the most remote areas of the United States, who would otherwise be left in the dark”, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross justified in a statement. “The department will continue to closely monitor exports of sensitive technologies to ensure that our innovations are not exploited by those who would threaten our national security”, he added.
Huawei is accused by the Americans of spying on behalf of the Chinese authorities. This accusation was immediately denied by the Chinese equipment manufacturer, which recalls that it is a private company and independent of the government.
A company spokesperson responded to the U.S. announcement by stating that it would not have a material impact on Huawei's operations and that it did not change the fact that Huawei was being treated unfairly. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)