谷歌限制华为使用安卓，外交部回应了 China supports Huawei to defend rights by law
China supports firms to defend rights by law: Foreign Ministry responds to Google's partial suspension of Huawei business on Monday.
Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and software products, except those covered by open source licenses, a source has told Reuters.
"We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson said.
The move comes after the US Department of Commerce officially added the Chinese telecoms manufacturer to a trade blacklist on May 15 after declaring a national economic emergency to ban the technology and services of "foreign adversaries".
However, blocking components to Huawei could also disrupt the businesses of American chip heavyweights like Micron Technology and slow down the rollout of 5G wireless networks, Bloomberg said, which in turn could hurt US companies that rely on the Chinese market.
Huawei will immediately lose access to updates for the Android operating system while the next version of its smartphones outside China will lose access to popular applications and services including the Google Play store and the Gmail app.
Details of the specific services were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei attorneys are also studying the impact of the US commerce department's actions, a spokesman said on Friday.
Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license, known as Android Open Source Project, that is available for free to anyone who wishes to use it.
▲ Huawei P9
But Google will stop providing technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services to Huawei.
Popular Google Apps
Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Google's Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google.
But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. Apps such as Gmail are updated through the store, unlike operating system updates which are typically handled by phone manufacturers and telecoms carriers, which the blacklist could affect, the source said.
The impact is limited in the Chinese market. However, Huawei's European market could be affected as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe.
"Having those apps is critical for smartphone makers to stay competitive in regions like Europe," said Geoff Blaber, vice president of research at CCS Insight.
Huawei's plan B
Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China, the company has said.
Huawei started building its own operating system after a US investigation into Huawei and ZTE Corp in 2012, according to the South China Morning Post.
"We have prepared our own operating system, if it turns out we can no longer use these [Android] systems, we will be ready and have our plan B," Huawei's mobile chief Richard Yu Chengdong, said in an interview with German publication Die Welt in March.
"Huawei does have backup systems but only for use in extenuating circumstances. We don't expect to use them, and to be honest, we don't want to use them," said a Huawei spokesperson in March.
"We fully support our partners' operating systems — we love using them and our customers love using them. Android and Windows will always remain our first choices."
Huawei Technologies Co Chief Executive Officer and founder Ren Zhengfei said he expects US restrictions won't hurt the Chinese company's growth much, Nikkei reported.
▲ Huawei's founder Ren Zhengfei
"Huawei's growth may slow, but only slightly," Ren told Japanese reporters at the telecommunications equipment maker's headquarters in Shenzhen, according to Nikkei.
"We have not done anything that violates the law," Ren said, criticizing the US restrictions.
Sources: Chinadaily.com.cn, Reuters, The Guardian, South China Morning Post
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