THE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) said yesterday that curbs on employees of Huawei Technologies and its subsidiaries have been lifted, and they would be allowed to participate in a peer review process for its research papers.

The U.S.-based engineers’ association last week said it would bar Huawei staff from doing so, after the United States accused the company of being tied to China’s government and banned U.S. companies from doing business with it for national security reasons.

IEEE China said in a statement on its website that it had decided to lift the restrictions after receiving further clarification from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“Our previous restrictive approach was wholly meant to protect our volunteers and members and to avoid relevant legal risks. After we received the relevant instructions, the legal risks were lifted,” it said.

On Thursday, the IEEE confirmed the restrictions and stressed that the curbs applied only to Huawei employees and peer review. It added that Huawei employees can continue to submit papers for publication and participate in the IEEE’s conferences.

IEEE’s move last week was met with strong responses from China’s academic community.

On Thursday, Beijing-based technology research group The China Computer Federation said it would suspend communications with the IEEE.

(SD-Agencies)

US ban has ‘no effect on Huawei’s aviation business’

U.S. moves against Huawei have had “no effect” on the firm’s aviation business despite several countries taking steps to block its mobile services, a top company executive said yesterday.

Huawei has been caught in a trade war between China and the United States, but Eman Liu, president of Huawei’s global transportation business unit, said the company’s aviation business was untouched so far.

Huawei provides information and communication technology solutions to more than 50 airports and 15 airlines around the world, including Dubai Airports and the Changi Airport Group in Singapore.

Its services include video surveillance and airport cloud systems as well as Wi-Fi services and storage servers.

“Until now, there is no effect,” Liu said on the sidelines of the annual International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in Seoul.

Huawei customers at the event had pledged to “keep cooperating” with the firm despite Washington’s accusations, Liu said.

“For all the rest of the world, we are continuing to do our over 10 years of business with them,” Liu said.

“This trust is not one-day trust. It’s long-term trust of the past 15 years, even 30 years.”

Huawei has risen to become the world leader in telecom networking equipment and one of the top smartphone manufacturers alongside Samsung and Apple.

“We cannot change the situation right now because we are businessmen,” Liu said. “But we hope the United States can change their ways.”

If the United States persisted with its moves, Liu said, it would “force us to use Plan B,” referring to heavy investments in new technology, including developing its own chips.(SD-Agencies)