Huawei Founder Discussing US Ban with Google - Reports

Huawei CEO and founder Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with local media that the Shenzhen-based Chinese tech giant was in talks with Google on the issue of US restrictions.

Google is a "highly responsible company", Ren said, cited by AFP, adding that the two sides were "discussing how to create a response plan".

Media reported last week, citing an unnamed source, that Google had suspended business operations with Huawei, including the transfer of hardware, software and technical services, except those publicly available via open source licensing. The move came after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order restricting Huawei's activity in the country due to its alleged involvement in spying for the Chinese government.

READ MORE: Huawei Founder: US 'Underestimates' Company, 5G Plans Not Affected — Reports

The US Department of Commerce added Huawei to its Entity List on Wednesday, which means that US firms must first obtain a trade permit to do business with the high-profile tech company. Trump issued an executive order the same day essentially banning Huawei from the US market for being a national security risk.

The Commerce Department, however, said in a notice posted Monday in the Federal Register that the US government will delay the implementation of the ban on trading with the Chinese telecom giant for another 90 days. By issuing temporary licenses with new rules, Huawei will be able to maintain existing networks and update software on handsets, according to the US officials.

Huawei recently faced allegations that the company is linked to the Chinese government and has spied on its behalf. Although both Huawei and the Chinese government have firmly refuted these claims, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States banned Huawei from participating in government contracts in 2018.

READ MORE: China Supports Huawei's Legal Action After Google Complies With US Ban