Reports indicate Chinese kit vendor ZTE may be on the verge of getting its US export ban lifted after negotiations with the commerce department.

This development has been claimed as an exclusive by Reuters, who apparently have ‘sources familiar with the matter’. They claim ZTE has signed an ‘agreement in principle’ that would lift a US export ban imposed on ZTE back in April for being far too naughty by half. Quite how it will manage to pull this off, with a bunch of US Senators opposing such a move, remains to be seen.

Reuters asked the US Commerce Department for a comment on the matter, but all it got was this: “No definitive agreement has been signed by both parties.” They also got some quotes from US politicians indicating they’re not so keen on this move, which has all the hallmarks of a Donald Trump ‘Art of the Deal’ manoeuvre.

As we’ve said many times previously, even if Trump does manage to get his own way on this there’s no guarantee whatsoever that ZTE can return back to business as usual. Surely all the ZTE partners that have begun the process of looking for alternative suppliers will continue to do so and who would want to take the risk of commencing a commercial relationship with ZTE while it still has this sword of Damocles dangling over its head?