White House to meet with executives on Huawei ban
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow will host a meeting on Monday with semiconductor and software executives to discuss the US ban on China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, two briefed sources said Friday.
The Huawei ban was expected “to come up but that it is not the reason why they are convening the meeting,” said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will also attend the meeting, to which chip manufacturers Intel Corp. (INTC.O) and Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM.O) have been invited, the sources revealed. Google (GOOGL.O) and Micron (MU.O) would also attend to discuss economic matters.
The future of US companies’ ties to Huawei, the world’s no. 1 producer of telecommunications equipment, remains uncertain after the Trump administration blacklisted the company in May, citing national security concerns.
The move bans US companies from selling parts and components to Huawei without special licenses, but US President Donald Trump said last month, with an eye on reviving trade talks with Beijing, that American firms could resume sales. Several weeks after the announcement, details about the new policy are still uncertain.
Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur Ross has said that licenses would be issued where there is no threat to national security. Reuters reported that the US may approve licenses for companies to restart new sales in a matter of weeks.
Broadcom Inc. (AVGO.O) was also invited and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) was expected to receive an invitation. Intel and Qualcomm declined to comment. Google, Micron, Microsoft and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comment.