UPDATED: Trump pledges to help Chinese phonemaker ZTE 'get back into business'

[DonViejo]

Last edited Sun May 13, 2018, 05:37 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Washington Post



By Tony Romm and Damian Paletta May 13 at 12:25 PM

President Trump pledged on Sunday to help Chinese telecom giant ZTE return to business, days after the company said it would cease “major operating activities” because of the U.S. government’s recent trade restrictions, a stunning shift in tone for a president who has long accused China of stealing U.S. jobs.

“President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast,” Trump tweeted. “Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!”

The comment could presage a reversal of one of the Trump administration’s toughest actions to date against a Chinese company. In April, the Commerce Department penalized ZTE for violating a settlement with the U.S. government over illegal shipments to Iran and North Korea. As a result, the Trump administration barred U.S. firms for seven years from exporting critical microchips and other parts to ZTE, the world's fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer.

Lacking those components, ZTE halted operations, stressing in a statement Wednesday that it is “actively communicating with the relevant U.S. government departments in order to facilitate the modification or reversal” of the Commerce Department’s order.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/05/13/trump-pledges-to-help-chinese-phone-maker-zte-get-back-into-business

---

UPDATE:

Promising Chinese Jobs, Trump Commits To Backing Off Iran Sanctions Violator ZTE

By Matt Shuham | May 13, 2018 1:20 pm

After the Commerce Department last month ordered American companies to stop selling products to the Chinese telecom giant ZTE, President Donald Trump on Sunday appeared to commit to reversing that ban.

Link to tweet

In a 2017 settlement, ZTE pleaded guilty to evading U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea and agreed to pay a $1.2 billion combined penalty, breaking the record for such sanction penalties.

Then, last month, the Commerce Department issued a denial order against the company, asserting that it had not properly held relevant employees accountable for the sanctions violations and that it had misled U.S. officials, therefore violating the settlement terms. As a result, American manufacturers of crucial components like microchips were barred from selling to ZTE.

“The provision of false statements to the U.S. Government, despite repeated protestations from the company that it has engaged in a sustained effort to turn the page on past misdeeds, is indicative of a company incapable of being, or unwilling to be, a reliable and trustworthy recipient of U.S.-origin goods, software, and technology,” the Commerce Department’s seven-year denial order read in part.

more
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/promising-chinese-jobs-trump-commits-to-backing-off-iran-sanctions-violator-zte

[hlthe2b]

1. WTF?

[Initech]

2. Why? They make shitty phones that nobody wants!

And are known to spy on you. Trump can help them get back into business, but good luck trying to get anyone to switch from Galaxy and iPhone.

[Sunlei]

6. I'd give a lower priced 'smart phone' a try. I hate my $iphone$ & hate the apple store. it's

spookie as shit to walk in that place and everyone is staring at their devices.

[Initech]

9. My Galaxy S9+ has been great so far.

$400 cheaper than the 256GB iPhone X and it does everything I want. Family Guy had a great bit last week where they're at a restaurant and a waiter staring at their phone trips and starts a fire, and then *EVERYONE* in the restaurant is looking at their phones while the fire breaks out. Then you see a guy: "Submitted for your approval - a restaurant full of people so controlled by their devices that they don't realize they're about to be on fire." So true!

[Sunlei]

14. Galaxy S9+ thanks for that tip! is AT&T a carrier for them?

I may get one tomorrow, I hate my iPhone, everything with apple is have to logon this and that and dealing with apple on anything is horrible! paid a fortune for apple custom care, all the freaking bells and whistles..... what a waste of money!

Thanks for listening & the tip

[Initech]

23. I think pretty much all the major carriers support Galaxy S9/9+.

It's definitely a great phone and saving the extra $400 in the long run - totally worth it!

[Solly Mack]

12. I do think he repeats, responds to, the last thing someone said to him.

His brain wipes clean and he's off on a new tangent.

[Sunlei]

15. the man is very ill and that's why Republicans state tv has multi-daily FACE contact with him.

fox=Republican State TV (propaganda)

[Initech]

29. Fox News talks to him directly.

Because they know he has it on 24 hours a day. And that's scary.

[Solly Mack]

30. His brain trust.

Unreal but all too real.

[brush]

41. He's such a fool, seems to forget he's president of the US not China.

If he going to help a phone company, help an American one with jobs here.

[Crash2Parties]

13. I bought one by BLU for $100 USD via Bezos' Behemoth

Once that bit of awkwardness about built in spyware sending data back home to China was sorted out it's been a good phone. And to their credit *many* Chinese/Asian phonemakers were hit by the firmware spying that was inserted earlier in the supply chain but BLU was open about it, apologized & fixed the problem. Subsequent models have not had it & have had many small but very nice improvements. The quality of the phone & firmware has been excellent & there was a bare minimum of pre-installed bloatware. Mostly just things beyond their control, like the on screen keyboard they selected added advertisement notices with an upgrade a year later. But that's Android - start with a bare system, add apps deemed necessary & sell it. Once you get used to the idea that as a consumer you can control what on screen keyboard you choose to use, the maker of the phone only matters if the physical quality is bad or they prevent you from removing/reverting the software they bundle at time of sale. BLU has been really good so far on both accounts.

[Sunlei]

17. Thanks, yes had to delete apple bloatware like 'flashlight' & it's hard to keep it away /w update

every update it tries to re install the damn flashlight

[sarchasm]

33. That doesn't make sense ...

.. the "flashlight" in IOS is not an app.

[Sunlei]

36. nothing makes sense about apple icloud backups & the link to IOS updates.

and having to logon everywhere to even download a damn app like UBER, LYFT, DOORDASH.

or their safari browser. or their stupid volume problems. or their picture delete problems. or their crappy camera.....

or their 250.00 extra 'custom care' package.

[emulatorloo]

55. Noticed that as well, all the posts are full disinformation and FUD

[MicaelS]

24. Bullshit.

I have a ZTE ZMAX Pro phablet. It was only phone in my budget that had an octa-core CPU and a 1920 x 1080 6" screen. Bought it 16 months ago, and still working great. Final cost was $70 after all discounts and rebate.

Furthermore, let me clue you in on something, a lot of people getting lifeline phones are getting ZTEs.

[Sunlei]

37. Thank you.

[MicaelS]

39. You are welcome. n/t

[lunasun]

53. +1

[emulatorloo]

56. I hear Putin-connected 'kaspersky internet security 2018' is great too!

<sarcasm>

Schiff: **** ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat.
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2058829


Pentagon Bans Sale of Chinese Phones on U.S. Military Bases (ZTE)
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2058955

[Initech]

63. I wouldn't use Kaspersky if you paid me!

[Initech]

57. Maybe I'm being a bit too paranoid about ZTE.

The reason I said nobody wants them is that most of the major providers cut ties with them after the spying incident. I would give them a shot if I were traveling internationally and needed an inexpensive phone that could travel between countries because one thing they do have is dual SIM capability and that's something that is very lacking in nearly all of the modern US smartphones.

[emulatorloo]

58. No, you aren't being too paranoid

Schiff: **** ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat.
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2058829


Pentagon Bans Sale of Chinese Phones on U.S. Military Bases (ZTE)
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2058955

[lunasun]

52. Plenty in this nation cannot afford Samsung or Apple . Many buy what they can afford

[Initech]

54. Yeah that's true.

The thing I'm always worried about with 2nd and 3rd tier cell phone manufacturers and providers is that they're usually known for screwing over their customers. Look at providers like Boost, Cricket, Metro PCS, and Smart Talk- they intentionally target low income people and make it seem like their plans and devices are affordable but if you read the fine print they can be just as expensive as the first tier providers if not more so.

[lunasun]

64. But many are more affordable, and others ,though just as much in the end are pay as you go so again

it's that many can not afford to outright buy a samsung or apple or go with a first rate carrier and plans for cheaper phones are cheaper per month which how many people pay .
That's the appeal and they are using low phones for thier house phones not to tweet and instragram all day and take pics . So some are using cheap zte phones but using reliable carriers too. Just the apps are bad etc. and they don't need the apps as much as they need a phone that's affordable, again to them in thier situation
Again it is all about money , mostly not having it upfront, but needing a phone number .

Do they know it's not the best phone , or thier carrier is not the best ? yes of course but it's what they can afford . The same people shopping at the dollar store for items are quite aware they are not top brand or quality too. The naivety isn't the issue as much as cash imo

[PubliusEnigma]

3. Can you say Manchurian?

[Xipe Totec]

5. The Meshugana Candidate nt

[Solly Mack]

4. Does that man's brain reset each day?

WTF? What the actual fuck?

[Sunlei]

8. apple probably fed him that so they can continue to get their 3 cent slave made chips from china.

[Solly Mack]

20. I responded to you but in the wrong spot. lol

Thank you for responding back!

LMAO

I am laughing at myself big time.

[AC_Mem]

7. Rash actions have consequences

This thing is creating destruction that is affecting the WORLD. How is this even happening???

I am not one big on biblical prophecy, but this really does seem like Satan unleashed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. ZTE found the right Trump lawyer to employ to "reorganize their internal accounting system"?

That's the standard way to get the Trump administration to do what you want, isn't it?

[Crash2Parties]

11. Alternate Take: Trump discovers trade wars hurt American companies & their investors

The ban was on US companies selling components & materials to ZTE. Not the brightest move.

Companies like Corning, Qualcomm & Google have taken a sales/profit hit because of his ban & so have their investors.

https://www.pcmag.com/commentary/360451/new-trade-war-targets-china-zte-but-us-firms-caught-in-cros

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-zte-suppliers/zte-ban-hits-shares-of-u-s-optical-component-suppliers-idUSKBN1HN1ZQ

https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-zte-battle-u-s-suppliers-are-collateral-damage-1524562201

[Sunlei]

21. Not new-remember when Republicans ruined the american new solar panel factory & killed 100s of jobs.

during the USA economic crash 2008/2009 when American citizens were desperate for good Jobs.

Republicans & their Corporate friends China flooded USA market with underpriced panels and that ready to open factory had to not open their doors!

How soon people forget how that party of anti-Americans- never created jobs ever.

[SWBTATTReg]

16. Once again, idiot has struck w/o thinking...and it seems like he ...

likes foreign businesses better than American companies eh? Why wouldn't he let (as though he has any input to the whole process of the ATT merger w/ another company (Time Warner) to proceed (what Rudi G. has been going on and on about)...

[Sunlei]

22. They killed the TPP so China could take away USAs trade benefits. China wasn't a TPP country.

[IronLionZion]

18. Why? Do some of his buddies do business with them?

The US Government has penalized them for violating sanctions and suspected they put backdoors or spyware into their phones.

[TeamPooka]

19. Donald Trump fighting for jobs in China. I smell a payoff.

[Nay]

31. China probably told Trump that he and his spawn would no longer be able to

get their clothing lines made in China. The horror of having to pay their foreign seamstresses more has caused this uproar.

[Clarity2]

25. The steele dossier

mentions chinese bribes and payoffs. Im not surprised. He will sell off our security to china as well as russia.

[Leghorn21]

40. I have no memory to speak of, 2, but have never forgotten reading this the first time and wondering

of/when this deep involvement with Chyyyyna might see some daylight:

[Doodley]

60. The only reason Trump would reverse a trade policy is if he personally benefits in some way.

[Clarity2]

65. Same here

Never forgot about that (despite having a tough time remembering most stories) and been waiting and waiting. Although there were times I thought maybe this was the small part of dossier that may be inaccurate, and some bad actor may have misled to deflect from russia!

[duforsure]

26. Makes you wonder

How much they are putting into his re-election PAC , which he can funnel that back into his pockets.

[MrModerate]

27. Trump has the attention span of a mayfly . . .

. . . and the memory of Ellen Degeneres' character from Finding Nemo.

[riversedge]

28. Schiff: **** ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat. You should care more abo

This is a major problem. damn!



https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/05/13/trump-pledges-to-help-chinese-phone-maker-zte-get-back-into-business/?utm_term=.68119bf53cca


...............It’s highly unusual for a president to personally intervene in a regulatory matter and could undercut the leverage of Treasury and Commerce officials seeking to enforce sanctions and trade rules. It could send the signal to foreign leaders that anything can be put on the bargaining table as Trump seeks to cut trade deals, trade analysts said.

"It seems to cut across the concern about tech competition with China, supplying Iran, and jobs in China, so it all seems pretty confusing," Adam Segal, the director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, said of Trump's tweet. "That’s why everybody’s so flabbergasted by it. We’ve had from the beginning of this administration an increased drumbeat of warnings about ZTE and Huawei and the threat to U.S. security by having any of their products in the United States or U.S. supply chains. We’ve seen that from the FBI, the intelligence community and DOD that this is just too much of a threat, and that these companies are a threat to U.S. technological leadership going forward."

ZTE's business in the United States has long raised concerns among national security officials. Shortly after Trump's tweet, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said, "Our intelligence agencies have warned that ZTE technology and phones pose a major cyber security threat. You should care more about our national security than Chinese jobs."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A ZTE spokesman also did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Trump is trying to broker a historic agreement with North Korea in an attempt to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. The president has said that his economic approach to China is linked to his national security strategy, and China plays an integral part in any decision made by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump's tweet on Sunday comes just days before U.S. officials are planning to meet with Liu He, one of Chinese President Xi Jinping's closest advisers, to discuss the strained trade ties. That meeting is expected to be held in Washington this week or next..............................

[emulatorloo]

62. Thank you for posting this n/t

[riversedge]

66. k for visibility

[Vinca]

32. So now it's MCGA? I'm confused.

[benld74]

34. tRumps an effin idiot

[Paladin]

35. "The Art Of The Deal" my ass.

Looking forward to assorted trump whores' explanations of what a good deal this is......

[Cold War Spook]

38. I love my $49 LG flip phone.

My wife has a smart phone. If she is in the other room when her phone rings where I am, I don't even know how to answer it. If it was smart, it would know how to answer itself.

[Botany]

42. Too many jobs in China lost.

One more part of the Steele Dossier is being proven true .... the Chinese own Trump too.

[Marcuse]

44. Was Cohen involved or is there now a substitute bagman?

[Calista241]

45. I wonder if this is related to Chinese support for the forthcoming North Korean

Peace talks.

[alp227]

46. "America First" LOL nt

[keithbvadu2]

47. Pentagon Bans Sale of Chinese Phones on U.S. Military Bases (ZTE)

Pentagon Bans Sale of Chinese Phones on U.S. Military Bases (ZTE)

The Pentagon is moving to stop the sale of Chinese-made phones from Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. in and near U.S. military base stores for “potential security threats” they say the devices could pose.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142050357

[emulatorloo]

61. Thank you for posting this

[LuckyLib]

48. How much did the Dumpster rant about China cleaning our clocks when he was campaigning?

He could not stop talking about the US being screwed by China. He's nuts.

[Takket]

49. I'm sure the #maga crowd will be furious

x9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

[Alethia Merritt]

50. The Trumps and his Russian oligarchs must have massive stock in this company.

Why else would he do this? That's more help than is given to US small businesses.

[lunasun]

51. Word to Putin from his puppy

[JackInGreen]

59. Lemme guess

Getting labor laws changed so they can outsource sweatshop slave labor to the good old US of A.

Likely prison labor.

[Blue_Tires]

67. Snowden and Greenwald were unavailable for comment...