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United States Businesses China Network Politics

US Bans American Companies From Selling To Chinese Electronics Maker ZTE (reuters.com) 74

An anonymous reader shares a report: The U.S. Department of Commerce is banning American companies from selling components to leading Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for seven years for violating the terms of a sanctions violation case, U.S. officials said on Monday. The Chinese company, which sells smartphones in the United States, pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Texas for conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by illegally shipping U.S. goods and technology to Iran. It paid $890 million in fines and penalties, with an additional penalty of $300 million that could be imposed. As part of the agreement, Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp promised to dismiss four senior employees and discipline 35 others by either reducing their bonuses or reprimanding them, senior Commerce Department officials told Reuters. Update: The UK's cyber security watchdog has warned the UK telecoms sector not to use network equipment or services from Chinese supplier ZTE as it would have a "long term negative effect on the security of the UK."
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US Bans American Companies From Selling To Chinese Electronics Maker ZTE

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  • by aberglas ( 991072 ) on Monday April 16, 2018 @10:55AM (#56446273)

    Unlike China, there are real and freeish elections in Iran. There human rights are not nearly as bad as many of our friends. Sure, they are overseen by a religious right that most Iranians would love to remove. But they are certainly no worse than many of our other friends. (Same goes for Cuba.)

    What is worse, picking on Iran just supports their religious right. It is counter productive.

    And remember (if you ever knew) that Iran lost some 2 MILLION dead in the not so ancient war with Iraq, during which Hussein used plenty of chemical weapons. And we actively supported Hussein.

    • by alvinrod ( 889928 ) on Monday April 16, 2018 @11:24AM (#56446421)
      We don't have a good reason for being enemies of Iran and in many ways they would make a better ally for us in the region than most other countries because they are among the more progressive countries in the Middle East and more likely to be supportive of Western ideals. A lot of it just comes down historical events putting us on the current path we're on, even if those are past and buried. People have long memories and there are just too many people on both sides that still harbor old hatreds (which may be completely valid) to be able to find a common ground to work from moving forward.

      However it really boils down to us already being closely tied in with both Saudi Arabia and Israel. Saudi Arabia hates Iran for being the wrong type of Muslims and sees them as a challenger in terms of which country will be dominant in the region. Relations with Israel were seriously strained when the Ayatollahs came into power and declared Israel as an enemy of Islam and groups like Hezbollah were founded and have received some state support from Iran. Conceivably, the U.S. getting closer to Iran and democracy being restored would probably see the country relax their relationships in regards to Israel. They were actually quite cordial with one and other in the past and I don't think the average Iranian cares about hating Israel as much as the extreme religious sect that controls the country now does.

      I don't think we could be allies of both Saudi Arabia and Iran at the same time now. Israel would be pragmatic enough to deal with Iran while relations are smoothed out, but I don't believe that the Saudi's would be. The two countries currently don't have any diplomatic relations following some recent events between them, and there are perhaps too many recent historical events between the two to expect any type of amelioration. It's easier for us to continue being allies with the Saudis even if it isn't in our long-term best interests to do so. The U.S. political system makes it incredibly difficult to change the status quo in a large way and no matter which party extends the olive branch, the other will denounce it purely for political reasons.
      • by labnet ( 457441 )

        It's more to do with petrodollars and central banks.
        Saudi Arabia is a country that promotes Islamic terrorism yet is protected by the USA. Why? It's because many years ago, they made a pact to always sell their oil in USD in exchange for military protection from the USA.
        Any country that has threatened the petrodollar arrangement has ended up overthrown. Also not having a Rothschild central bank can be dangerous to your health.

      • Relations with Israel were seriously strained when the Ayatollahs came into power and declared Israel as an enemy of Islam

        That wasn't the primary reason, it was because the Shah's brutal SAVAK secret police were set up and trained by Israel. In other words the principal instrument of oppression, with a long history of torture and murder and possibly the most hated part of the whole regime, was set up with the active assistance and input of Israel. You can forgive Iranians for being somewhat upset about that.

    • they support people who fight our soldiers

      • Did not know you have soldiers in Iran ...

      • by hyades1 ( 1149581 ) <hyades1@hotmail.com> on Monday April 16, 2018 @01:11PM (#56447073)

        The government of the day might support anti-American causes, but US actions are doing a lot more to punish Iranians most likely to support First World views while leaving the shit-for-brains Ayatollahs unaffected.

        The main reason why Iran is now a power in the Middle East is that Bush Junior, who as of January 2017 became the second stupidest President in American history, decided to get rid of Saddam Hussein and thereby eliminate the biggest check on the Ayatollahs' ambitions.

        Iran is still America's best hope for a relatively secular counterweight to the real exporters of Middle East terror...their good friends the Saudis. A whole older generation still remember what it was like before the religious fanatics took over. And some of the really old ones remember what Iran was like before America installed the Shah.

        • The Shah was a good guy. He was a reformer and wanted to bring Iran into the modern age, over the objections of their people. The ayatollahs are legitimately popular. Just not among the Iranian exiles that dominate Western coverage. But the average Joes of Iran really like their Islamic government.
          • You need to educate yourself. Start with the word "Savak".

            • Yes? And? So what? The Savak was not nearly as bad as what the Ayatollahs did after the revolution. They were necessary to keep society on track, and not hijacked into Islamic barbarism. What happened when the Savak couldn't keep the peace any more? Revolution and slaughter, and a regression to medieval morality.
          • But the average Joes of Iran really like their Islamic government.
            No they don't.
            How ignorant and actually stupid are you?

            • Where'd you get that idea? Do you speak Persian? If not, the only story you get is from the bitter losers who were exiled after the Revolution. Don't listen to them. Iran's government is legitimately popular and they elected a government that represents them. And why shouldn't they be popular? They got a sweetheart deal from Obama where they profited massively and they had to give up little in return. Screwing over The Great Satan in a deal always goes over well with the people. If your entire knowl
              • Iran is since 45 years at the brink to a civil war.

                Sorry, your american propaganda does not cut it.

                What fucking deal should Obama make with a country he basically was at war with? Sorry, that are completely retarded ideas.

                The "high priest" caste is suppressing the population, and they want to be free. There are protest every single day, thousands of people are in prison because of political reasons.

                Do you really think that young people, that kiss in the park at the campus, and get put into jail for that, ha

                • The "high priest" caste is suppressing the population, and they want to be free.

                  That's where you're wrong, bucko. Most of Iran is totally OK with living under an Islamist regime. That's how Mohammed wanted his people to live. He does not approve of young people kissing at the park. Iran has free and fair elections and everything. It's just the malcontents that are making a fuss.

                  I know dozens of Persian people who left when ever they could.

                  Ah, here's the problem. You only hear from the malcontents.

                  • That's where you're wrong, bucko. Most of Iran is totally OK with living under an Islamist regime.
                    No they are not. No one on the world is ok to live under a religious regime.

                    BZZT wrong, the Shah was installed by the CIA.
                    Yes, and later he was dethroned by the same CIA.

                    The Shah was overthrown by Islamic radicals allied with Iranian liberals.
                    Yes, and the liberals were payed by the CIA and supported with weapons. In the end it backfired because the Ayatollas won the revolution.

                    These English-speaking exiles

                    • No one on the world is ok to live under a religious regime.

                      OK, I see now what I'm arguing with. You're a crazy loon, and I say that without sarcasm. Tons and tons and tons of people are perfectly happy to live under a religious regime, and if you're not aware of this, you really need to broaden your horizons. Lots of Muslims desire to live under a religious regime - remember all of them in Europe calling for Shariah? Didn't the UK endorse religious courts so they could feel right at home?

                      The liberal

    • by hyades1 ( 1149581 ) <hyades1@hotmail.com> on Monday April 16, 2018 @12:44PM (#56446923)

      That you were modded down to -1 for this sensible, insightful comment speaks very poorly for who Slashdot is allowing to moderate these discussions. I know there is now a strong right wing presence here seeking to either take over or wreck the site. It looks like they're winning.

      I expect this remark to join yours at -1 if the creeps with the fake accounts still have mod points left.

      • It would be interesting to see both the + and - scores. Not just the total.

      • Iran's government is legitimately popular. They're not "right-wing", they're Islamist. Islamism doesn't fit on the Western left/right scale, it's a third axis. The average Joe of Iran thinks an Islamic government is great, and it's how people were meant to live.

        Come on, engaging in conspiracy theories makes you no better than those you hate. Contrary opinions doesn't mean a cabal is out to get you. Relax, breathe, look under your bed for KKK members.

        • I guess you've somehow managed not to notice what's been going on around this site during the past year and a bit.

          Not my problem.

          But do try to open your eyes every once in a while. There's a nice big world out there, and you're missing it.

          • So you actually, really, truly believe that there are unseen enemies out there, sabotaging a discussion forum on an obscure tech website. Seriously? Slashdot has zero reach, it's not worth the trouble. Something like 95% of Slashdot readers never click on the comments. These days, it's the same 50-100 people talking to each other.

            That's why this conspiracy theory nonsense is so destructive. It teaches people like you that there is no such thing as legitimate opposition to your ideas. Everything you se

    • less evil is still evil..
    • by Anonymous Coward

      The "freeish" elections in Iran start with the Supreme leader deciding who gets to run in the elections from the start. There by guaranteeing the eventual winners are supporters of the status quo. It's actually pretty ironic that Iran's post-1979 revolution Islamic government was put into power by the progressive and left leaning Iranian college student who kicked off the revolution. While these morons were occupied holding 52 US hostages the Islamic fundamentalist and previously exiled mullahs were busy t

  • by Anonymous Coward

    This is a charade and send the signal to Chinese companies the U.S. is not a reliable supplier, they will start to look for Europe and others Asian countries for components or develop their own alternatives more faster than before, then the trade gap will become even larger and the morons in Washington will continue to complain about it.

  • The Chinese already likely have copies of the masks of every component used, and could easily just counterfeit the shit, re-brand it, and keep selling.

  • My next phone may be ZTE, BECAUSE they support Iran. Iran is probably the most likely country in the Middle East to become a fairly liberal Islamic democracy. They have a long tradition of revolution and a strong, wealthy expat community. If they do, they can be an example to other Middle Eastern countries -- better than having the Saudi and UAE kinglets being examples of how to run a country.
    • You make electronics purchases based on future Islamic democracy? Fuck, you better not answer any marketing surveys and fuck things up for the rest of us. That's near the top of stupidest reasons to buy a device. "Yes, I support corrupt companies that deal with banned countries contrary to their agreements." SMH.

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