ZTE walks tightrope after US trade ban

Caixin reports the second-largest maker of telecoms gear in China is scrambling to get off a U.S. export blacklist that threatens to dry up supplies of critical components. U.S. authorities have been investigating ZTE since 2012 over allegations it sold software and equipment containing components made in the United States to Iran through shell companies to get around U.S. trade sanctions, people close to ZTE said. The U.S. Commerce Department said on March 7 that American manufacturers are banned from selling components to ZTE, and foreign manufacturers will be prohibited from selling products containing a significant amount of U.S.-made parts to the firm.