Microsoft didn’t specify which products had been approved for sale to Huawei but an unnamed source said some licences for sales of smartphone components and non-electronic components were approved, with analysts suggesting the licence was most likely for the company’s Windows operating system. Sales of Huawei’s Matebook computers have been impacted by the US ban in recent months and the Chinese company has been forced to cancel at least one laptop launch since May.
The Trump administration is currently working on what it described as a phase one trade deal with China to end a tit-for-tat trade war but few signs of progress have emerged since the plan was announced nearly six weeks ago. In a separate report, the Wall Street Journal said president Trump criticised China’s efforts to reach an agreement during a visit to a Texas plant where Apple is assembling its new desktop computer. “I haven’t wanted to do it yet because I don’t think they’re stepping up to the level that I want,” he said.
The president also said he was “looking at” exempting Apple from a coming round of China tariffs. “We have to treat Apple on a somewhat similar basis as we treat Samsung,” he added.
