Huawei given 45-day reprieve to operate in US

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday granted Huawei another 45 days to sell to American companies while they search for alternatives to the Chinese telecommunications giant that Washington views as a security threat.

The extension will “allow existing telecommunication providers — particularly those in rural US communities — the ability to continue to temporarily and securely operate existing networks,” the Commerce Department said in a statement.

The decision to provide yet another extension came hours after Washington hit the company with criminal charges alleging a “decades-long” effort to steal trade secrets from American companies.