The US is drafting a mandate that would allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to engage in business with American companies. The purpose of lifting the ban imposed by the US government against Huawei is to promote unified efforts in setting standards for the next-generation 5G networks in the country.
Huawei was put on an 'entity list' last May. The US Commerce Department then drafted a new rule to allow American businesses to engage with the Chinese tech giant. The policy would enable Huawei and US companies to participate in standard bodies where the former is also a member.
The draft of the US Commerce Department is currently under final review. If granted, the draft would then be subject to other governmental agencies' approval. However, the duration of the full process remains unclear, and no measures were revealed if another government agency would object it.
According to the senior director of policy for Asia at the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) Naomi Wilson, it has been a year since the US Commerce Department banned Huawei. Hence, she noted that it is about time that the US government to address and clarify the issues relating to the ban.
She also added that the US government wants its companies to remain competitive against Huawei. However, she highlighted that some policies have rendered American entities to lose their position with Huawei along with others who are interested in engaging the Chinese tech giant.
The rule was said to only apply to Huawei. The law was absent on its coverage of other 'entity list' companies such as the Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision.
The Commerce Department noted that the ban against Huawei was based on allegations that the company violated US sanctions against Iran. It was also alleged that Huawei engaged in deceptive and obstructive acts to evade the restrictions. Huawei, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty against the charges.
Last Wednesday, a senior State Department official claimed that they support the efforts of the government in finding a solution that would also benefit the US companies. However, the White House and departments of Defense, Energy, and Treasury declined to comment on the issue.
Another senior administration official also shared his sentiments and claimed that establishing an international standard-setting is crucial in developing 5G networks. The official added that there are even current discussions about balancing the interests and security concerns of the US in imposing the new rule.
