Huawei is set to lay off hundreds of US workers after blacklisting

Chinese technology giant Huawei is preparing lay offs for hundreds of American workers as it struggles with the US administration’s recent blacklisting.

The telecommunications equipment maker has been deeply impacted by the ban on US sales from the Trump administration due to potential security threats and amidst the ongoing US-Chinese trade war.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Huawei is planning the layoffs at a research subsidiary called Futurewei Technologies, which operates a number of research labs. The company may give some Chinese employees the option to relocate in China.

Last month, Huawei reportedly separated the operations of its US research and development facility as it continued to adapt in response to the blacklisting.

The South China Morning Post reported that Futurewei went as far as banning Huawei employees from its offices, moving Futurewei employees to a new IT system and forbid them from using the Huawei name or logo in corporate communications.

Somewhat ironically, on Monday a senior US official told Reuters that Washington might grant American companies licenses to trade with Huawei in between two to four weeks' time.