Aug 17, 2020 - Technology

Trump administration tightens restrictions on Huawei

People visit a Huawei booth at a tech expo in China.

Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images

The Commerce Department restricted Huawei even more in the U.S. today, adding to its export blacklist 38 Huawei affiliates the Trump administration says the company used to evade its own earlier blacklisting.

Why it matters: The Trump administration is escalating its technological battle with China. Monday's announcement makes it even harder for Huawei to get chips it needs for its hardware from American companies.

What they're saying: The Commerce Department says Monday's action will "prevent Huawei's attempts to circumvent U.S. export controls to obtain electronic components developed or produced using U.S. technology."

  • This May, Commerce amended a rule to go after Huawei's acquisition of semiconductors that use U.S. technology and software. Monday's announcement tightens that rule.
  • “As we have restricted its access to U.S. technology, Huawei and its affiliates have worked through third parties to harness U.S. technology in a manner that undermines U.S. national security and foreign policy interests," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said. "This multi-pronged action demonstrates our continuing commitment to impede Huawei’s ability to do so.”

Go deeper: The great tech decoupling is here

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