China hopes ZTE can be removed from U.S. export restriction list as soon as possible

ZTE’s logo on its R&D center is seen in Beijing, China, March 22, 2016.

Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

China’s commerce ministry said on Friday it hoped telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp could be removed as soon as possible from a U.S. list of companies slapped with tough export restrictions this month.

On Tuesday the U.S. Department of Commerce said it would give ZTE a three-month reprieve on export restrictions imposed on the company earlier in March for allegedly breaking U.S. sanctions against Iran.

“We hope that both sides will continue to appropriately handle this matter through dialogue and consultations, and that ZTE can be removed from the ‘entity list’ as soon as possible,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website.

(Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)