New US rule on Huawei is a 'clarification' to create uniformity in 5G standards, Ross says

A new rule posted by the Trump administration this week that allows U.S. companies to work with China's Huawei is a "clarification" that will create symmetry in developing standards for 5G and other types of technology, according to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

"This is not to help Huawei," Ross said during an interview with FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo. "This is to help make sure we have ubiquity in 5G."

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Ross said the U.S. is still opposed to the use of Huawei technology in 5G and 4G networks and maintained that spying is a real concern.

"We are very opposed to the use of Huawei, 4G, 5G. We’ve been explaining our purposes to countries all around the world and they’re gradually getting to realize it," he said. "There really is a vulnerability with 5G that’s much more severe than it had been with 4G, 3G, 2G."

"The spying is a very real issue," he added.

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The U.S. placed Huawei on the so-called entity list in May 2019, citing national security concerns. American firms were restricted from doing business with Huawei and were required to apply for a license in order to sell to the Chinese technology firm. But the blacklisting of Huawei created confusion about whether U.S. companies could be involved in standards-setting discussions where Huawei was also a participant.

The rule released by the Commerce Department on Monday will allow the release of certain technology to Huawei and its affiliates if it contributes to "the revision or development of a ‘standard’ in a ‘standards organization.’”

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“The United States will not cede leadership in global innovation. This action recognizes the importance of harnessing American ingenuity to advance and protect our economic and national security,” Ross said in a statement Monday.

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