Huawei's US sanctions will be reviewed under Biden's Commerce pick

Huawei was placed on the US Entity List by the Trump administration back in May 2019, but President Joe Biden’s Commerce secretary pick has now shed light on what could happen under the new administration.

When asked if she would keep HUAWEI on the economic blacklist, Rhode Island governor and Commerce nominee Gina Raimondo answered (h/t: Reuters) that she would “review the policy, consult with you, consult with industry, consult with our allies and make an assessment as to what’s best for American national and economic security.”

The answer suggests that the Biden administration is open to removing HUAWEI from the Entity List or making other changes in the Chinese brand’s favor. Nevertheless, Raimondo has yet to be confirmed as the Commerce chief. It’s also worth noting that the administration could ultimately opt to maintain the status quo following a review of the situation.

Related: The HUAWEI ban explained — A complete timeline and everything else to know

HUAWEI has been subjected to economic sanctions by the US for almost two years now, seriously affecting its ability to procure, design, and manufacture smartphone components. Select US companies have been given the green light to continue dealing with HUAWEI, but Google hasn’t received a license to do so. This means that recent HUAWEI devices don’t offer all-important Google integration.

Nevertheless, Raimondo has also pledged to protect US telecommunications networks from Chinese companies such as HUAWEI and ZTE.

“I would use the full toolkit at my disposal to the fullest extent possible to protect Americans and our network from Chinese interference or any kind of back-door influence,” the nominee was quoted as saying.

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