China warns US it will require all necessary measures to fight suppression of Huawei

China’s commerce ministry says it will require “all necessary measures” in response to new US restrictions on Chinese tech giant Huawei’s capability to use American technology, calling the measures an abuse of state power and a violation of market principles.

An unidentified spokesperson quoted Sunday in a statement on the ministry’s website said the regulations also threatened the security of the “global professional and offer chain.”

“The US uses state power, beneath the so-called excuse of national security, and abuses export control measures to consistently oppress and contain specific enterprises of other countries,” the statement said.

China will “take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” it said.

Beneath the new rules, foreign semiconductor makers who use American technology must obtain a US licence to ship Huawei-designed semiconductors to the Chinese company.

Chip design and manufacturing equipment found in the world’s semiconductor plants is mostly US-made, so the new rule affects foreign producers that sell to Huawei and affiliates including HiSilicon, which makes chips for supercomputers with scientific and military uses. THE UNITED STATES Commerce Department said foreign foundries will be granted a 120-day grace period for chips already in production.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday that Washington really wants to prevent Huawei from evading sanctions imposed previously its use of American technology to create and produce semiconductors abroad.

Huawei Technologies Ltd., China’s first global tech brand and a maker of network equipment and smartphones, reaches the centre of a US-Chinese conflict over Beijing’s technology ambitions.

American officials say Huawei is a security risk, that your company denies.

It wasn’t clear what form China’s response would take, however the sides already are deep in conflict over US accusations of copyright theft and unfair trading by businesses in China’s heavily state-controlled economy.

Canada arrested Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, in December 2018 in a case that sparked a diplomatic furore among the three countries and complicated high-stakes US-China trade talks. China detained two Canadians in apparent retaliation for Meng’s arrest.