The United States President Donald Trump is considering to impose an executive order in 2019 to be declared as a national emergency that would prohibit the US companies from buying and using telecom equipment made by China’s Huawei and ZTE.
According to news reported by the Reuters, this would be the first ever step taken by the Trump administration to cut production from China’s two huge network equipment companies – Huawei Technology Cos limited (HWT.UL) and ZTE Corp, out of the US market.
The US said the companies used to work at the instruction by the Chinese government and that all their equipment could be used against Americans by spying.
However, both Chinese tech companies refused to a request for comment. In past, both companies have denied the accusation over spying on American or any other nation.
According to reports, the executive order was under consideration for more than eight months and could be issued as early as January that would then direct the commerce department to bar the US companies from buying equipment from foreign telecom markets that poses threat to US national security.
Though the order unlikely to name any Huawei or ZTE, but it is expected that commerce officials would be interpreting to impose limitation over the use of equipment made by these two companies. The text of orders has not been yet finalized.
The orders would invoke international Emergency Economic Power Act, which would provide authority to president to regulate the commerce in response to national emergency that poses a threat to the US.
The order could affect the US wireless carries as they were looking for partners from whom they could adopt 5G wireless network – next generation network.
Trump has, in August, marked a bill that has barred its government from using Huawei or ZTE equipment.
According to reports, a White House official said the US was “working across government and with our allies and like-minded partners to mitigate risk in the deployment of 5G and other communications infrastructure”. But however, it did not comment further.
Chinese foreign minister spokesperson Hua Chunying on Thursday, said she did not want to comment over Trump’s order as it’s yet not officially confirmed.
Chunying said, “It’s best to let facts speak for themselves when it comes to security problems.”
Chunying further said, “Some countries have, without any evidence, and making use of national security, tacitly assumed crimes to politicize, and even obstruct and restrict, normal technology exchange activities,” adding, “This in reality is undoubtedly shutting oneself off, rather than being the door to openness, progress and fairness.”