Microsoft Corp. said it was granted a license to do business with China’s Huawei Technologies. “On November 20, the U.S. Department of Commerce granted Microsoft’s request for a license to export mass-market software to Huawei,” the Redmond, Wash.-based company said in a statement. “We appreciate the Department’s action in response to our request.”
Nearly one-quarter of some 300 license applications have been approved, Reuters quoted a U.S. official as saying. It remains unclear which kinds of products have received the green light.
This move should help bring life back to Huawei’s Matebook series of laptops. The series was hit hard by the US ban with Huawei being forced to cancel a launch for one of the laptops. This license means that the Matebook series can offer Windows and other Microsoft services in future laptops.
Intel was also a huge part of Huawei’s Matebook dilemma as the American chipmaker was forced to halt trade with the Chinese firm. The company confirmed earlier that it has also applied for the exemption license to continue selling general-purpose computer chips to Huawei. The chipmaker is yet to receive approval from the US Commerce Department.
In May, the U.S. added Huawei to what’s known as the entity list in an effort to block U.S. companies from selling components to China’s largest technology company, which it accuses of being a threat to America’s national security. Huawei has denied those claims.
