Huawei calls on US to lift export restrictions

The chairman of Huawei said Friday the Chinese tech giant has yet to see any benefit from President Donald Trump's promise to allow U.S. companies to sell some components to the company and called on Washington to remove it from a security blacklist.

The "unjust and unfair" decision to add Huawei Technologies Ltd., the biggest maker of network equipment for phone companies, to a list that restricts exports is hurting its U.S. suppliers and global customers, Liang Hua told a news conference.

American officials accuse Huawei of facilitating Chinese spying, a charge the company denies, and see it as a growing competitor to U.S. technology industries.

Its founder, Ren Zhengfei, said in June the company has cut sales forecasts by $30 billion over the next two years due to curbs on access to U.S. chips and other components.

Trump promised last month to allow some sales to Huawei but said it will stay on the "entity list" until talks over Washington's tariff war with Beijing are concluded.

"So far we haven't seen any tangible change," Liang said.

"We're not saying that just because things have relaxed a little, we're fine with being on the blacklist," he said. "Actually, we believe our listing on the blacklist should be lifted completely."
"The open Android operating system and ecosystem is still our first choice," Liang said. "Of course, if America doesn't let us use it, then might we in the future develop our own Hongmeng as our cellphone operating system? We still haven't decided yet."