Europe in no hurry to join US-led boycott of Huawei Technologies

With United States President Donald Trump agreeing to allow Huawei Technologies Co to resume purchase of some US components and software, the question of whether the United Kingdom will, or will not, join the boycott of the Chinese technology giant suddenly seems less important.

Trump's declaration followed a six-week period in which US companies were barred from purchasing Huawei components and, despite Trump's words, Huawei will remain blacklisted until it is officially removed from the list. Even then, it will continue to be prevented from selling its products to US companies and to those in nations supporting the US-led boycott.

London, until now, has refused to join the boycott, despite several months of pressure from Washington, which claims to have identified weaknesses in Huawei's kit that make it vulnerable to use by spies, a claim the company vehemently denies.