ZTE, a Chinese tech firm making smart phones among other things; ceased major operations after a ban was ordered in April.
The ban was against United States suppliers doing business with ZTE, essentially crippling the firm.
The Commerce Department removed the ban shortly after ZTE deposited $400 million in a U.S. bank escrow account as part of a settlement reached. The settlement also included a $1 billion penalty that ZTE paid.
“ZTE should be put out of business. There is no ‘deal’ with a state-directed company that the Chinese government and Communist Party uses to spy and steal from us where Americans come out winning,” Marco Rubio said in a statement.
A photograph circulating among employees at the firm around midnight showed managers each giving a thumbs-up to the news, which was flashed on a screen at the company, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The lesson here is a trade war can brick your devices, and that sometimes smartphone makers spy on you with backdoor access codes and devices. The internet and, “The Cloud” can’t be trusted sometimes. It’s up to everyone to protect their own data with common sense when companies put shareholders and politics first.