ZTE

House Appropriations Committee unanimously votes to keep ZTE export ban intact despite Trump's tweet

by Alan Friedman / May 18, 2018, 3:07 PM

House Appropriations Committee unanimously votes to keep ZTE export ban intact despite Trump's tweet

Last weekend, a tweet from President Donald Trump surprised many when he called for the Commerce Department to repeal the U.S. export ban that it had placed on Chinese phone and network equipment manufacturer ZTE. Without access to U.S. software, hardware and components, ZTE has had to basically shut its doors. Despite many comments he made during the presidential campaign that called out China for stealing U.S. jobs, Trump showed unusual concern for those in China losing their jobs at ZTE ("Too many jobs in China lost," the president wrote in the tweet).

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee unanimously passed an amendment to a bill that prevents the Commerce Department from making any changes to the sanctions that it imposed on ZTE last month, including the U.S. export ban which will expire in March 2025. ZTE had violated U.S. sanctions by selling goods and services to Iran. After paying a huge fine, the company was told by the Commerce Department to withhold bonuses and write reprimands to those involved. The company failed to do this in a timely fashion, leading the U.S. to implement the export ban.

"Supporting this amendment will show that the U.S. government stands behind the sanctions that it enacts, and will enforce them. It also further prevents foreign companies beholden to their governments from further infiltrating our U.S. networks."-Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD.)

Back in 2012, the House Intelligence Committee suggested that ZTE and fellow Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei both be banned from the U.S. The report called both companies a threat to the national security of the U.S. due to their ties with the Chinese government. Earlier this year, President Trump used national security as his reason to block Broadcom's attempted purchase of Qualcomm. The contradiction has baffled many technology analysts.

source: TheHill

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19 Comments

1. Busyboy

Posts: 733; Member since: Jan 07, 2015

Hope China bans Apple products in retaliation.

posted on May 18, 2018, 3:23 PM 11

2. Klinton

Posts: 1409; Member since: Oct 24, 2016

It was Trump who placed the ban to ZTE for violating the rules. And if Trump lift it, it will be with a much bigger reason than ZTE, and guarantee that ZTE will not do violations anymore. Please stop teaching Trump and sabotaging! He knows what he is doing, for the best for US and the World.

posted on May 18, 2018, 3:32 PM 2

3. Busyboy

Trump didn't do anything. The Department of Commerce did.

posted on May 18, 2018, 3:45 PM 15

4. Klinton

Wrong! Trump ordered the ban with a valid reason, and for huge reason suggested now to be lifted. Don't be so narrow minded. Stop sabotaging US and the World, just because you were wrong about him. This will not make you look right, but pathetic.

posted on May 18, 2018, 4:09 PM 0

16. tiara6918

Posts: 2263; Member since: Apr 26, 2012

Trump just did that so he could pretend to be nice. He knew that the committe would disagree. All done so that this narcissistic psychopath can protect himself from his true agenda and evil intetntions