US firms can work with Huawei on 5G standards, Commerce Department says
- Placement of Chinese telecoms giant on trade blacklist last year inadvertently sidelined US companies from international conversations on standards setting
- Uncertain what technology or information they were allowed to share, engineers from some US firms reduced their participation, giving Huawei a stronger voice
The United States on Monday confirmed a Reuters report that it will amend its prohibitions on US companies doing business with China’s Huawei to allow them to work together on setting standards for next-generation 5G networks.
The US Commerce Department and other agencies signed off on the rule change, and it is awaiting publication in the Federal Register, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The rule is set to be published as early as Tuesday.
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed in a statement to Reuters that the agency is taking action.
“The United States will not cede leadership in global innovation,” Ross said. “The department is committed to protecting US national security and foreign policy interests by encouraging US industry to fully engage and advocate for US technologies to become international standards.”
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The Commerce Department publicly announced the move later on Monday. It noted that US participation in standards-setting “influences the future of 5G, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies”.
In the telecommunications industry, 5G, or fifth-generation wireless networks are expected to power everything from high-speed video transmissions to self-driving cars.
