Huawei calls for quick end to US ban

[sincity]

Huawei has called for a speedy end to the conflict between itself and the US government.

The firm's legal chief has said adding Huawei to a blocked "entity list" sets a "dangerous precedent", with other companies now potentially at risk of similar bans if they upset the US.

Speaking at a press conference in Shenzhen, Song Liuping, Huawei's chief legal officer, said that blacklisting its equipment would have a hugely damaging effect on the wider technology industry as a whole, with billions of consumers around the world potentially affected.

"This decision threatens to harm our customers in over 170 countries, including more than three billion consumers who use Huawei products and services around the world," he noted.

"By preventing American companies from doing business with Huawei, the government will directly harm more than 1,200 US companies. This will affect tens of thousands of American jobs."

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Blocked

Huawei has been under a US embargo for several months now following fears that its technology could be used to help Chinese state surveillance - a claim it strenuously denies.

The two bodies have been engaged in a war of words for several months as the Trump administration looks to crack down on the Chinese firm - with Huawei blocked from US government agency use under the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act earlier this year. 

Huawei filed a lawsuit against this block back in March, questioning the constitutionality of the law, and is now hoping the case can be thrown out in order to avoid a lengthy trial.

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(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Song added that using cybersecurity as an excuse to blacklist Huawei would have no effect on global safety, instead just offering a "false sense of security."

"Politicians in the U.S. are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company," Song said.

"They are using every tool they have, including legislative, administrative, and diplomatic channels. They want to put us out of business. This is not normal. Almost never seen in history. 

"The U.S. government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation."

"Today it's telecoms and Huawei. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers," he said.

Huawei has already had its licence to use Google's Android OS pulled by the US tech behemoth, with a number of other companies following suit in cutting ties - including the UK's ARM.

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