The Trump administration on Monday issued a new 90-day extension permitting US companies to keep selling certain products to China’s Huawei Technologies, as US regulators continue to devise rules on how to manage national security threats posed by foreign companies. The extension “will allow carriers to continue to service customers in some of the most remote areas of the United States who would otherwise be left in the dark”, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday. “The department will continue to rigorously monitor sensitive technology exports to ensure that our innovations are not harnessed by those who would threaten our national security,” Ross said. Monday’s extension, while offering yet another temporary reprieve for Huawei’s business in the US, illustrates the complications the US government faces in trying to balance two policy objectives: protecting the nation’s telecoms infrastructure from foreign threats and maintaining the US’ technological pre-eminence. “The process illustrates the chaotic nature of US policy on Huawei,” said Paul Triolo, head of geotechnology at the Eurasia Group consultancy. The extension was originally reported to be set for six months, then was shortened to two weeks over the weekend, said Triolo, before arriving at the 90 days extension. “This has become somewhat of a political football, as some in the Trump administration are very concerned about the impact of actions against Huawei on rural telecommunications in states that have been strong supporters of the president,” he added. China’s 5G dominance could lead to ‘dangerous’ internet split, US official warns In a Monday statement, the Chinese tech giant said the decision “won't have a substantial impact on Huawei's business either way” and it “does not change the fact that Huawei continues to be treated unfairly either”. In May, the United States placed Huawei and dozens of its affiliates on a so-called Entity List that banned US suppliers from selling components to them without government approval. The ban was a result of US concerns that Huawei, the telecoms giant, was conducting activities against American national security interests, including violating sanctions against doing business with Iran. Since adding Huawei to the blacklist, the Commerce Department has let it buy some American-made components in a series of 90-day licence extensions that it says is intended to minimise disruption for Huawei’s US customers, many of which operate networks in rural America. Commerce Secretary Ross acknowledged that some US rural carriers needed the temporary licenses and were dependent on Huawei for 3G and 4G networks. Restrictions on selling to Huawei will cost its US suppliers billions of dollars annually. Huawei’s top 19 US suppliers had a combined US$14.2 billion in revenue from their Chinese business partner last year. Despite the extension, Huawei’s business with American counterparts remains under threat. US commission to vote on barring Huawei and ZTE from selling to rural carriers The Trump administration contends that Huawei could be compelled by the Chinese government to forward critical American data and information to Beijing, compromising US security. Trump signed a separate executive order in May prohibiting US infrastructure from using Chinese products and services. The Commerce Department is in the process of developing detailed proposals on how to carry out the order. The Federal Communications Commission is also seeking to apply more restrictions on Huawei and ZTE, another Chinese telecoms equipment maker. The commission plans to vote on Friday on a proposal to prohibit US rural carriers receiving subsidies from a US$8.5 billion government programme called the Universal Service Fund from buying equipment or services from Chinese tech companies. The commission will also consider another proposal to remove and replace Chinese equipment used by rural wireless networks. In a letter on Thursday supporting the FCC proposal, US Attorney General William Barr said that Huawei and ZTE “cannot be trusted”. For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters , subscribe to our award-winning Inside China Tech podcast , and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report . Also roam China Tech City , an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus .