The National Communications Commission (NCC) has halted the sale of three smartphone models produced by China’s Huawei Technologies Co, saying a software upgrade had renamed Taiwan as “Taiwan, China.”
The temporary ban, which affects five telecom companies that sell the P30, P30 Pro and Nova 5T phones, might become permanent if the issue is not resolved, the NCC said on Thursday.
Following an upgrade of the software on the three models, the time zone and contact apps now list Taiwan as “Taiwan, China,” the commission said.
Photo: AFP
The designation has sparked controversy among consumers in Taiwan, as China continues its efforts to convince global businesses and foreign governments to refer to Taiwan as “Taiwan, China,” the NCC said.
The commission said that Chunghwa Telecom Co, Taiwan Mobile Co, Far EasTone Telecommunications Co, Taiwan Star Telecom Co and Asia Pacific Telecom Co have been asked to remove the phones from their stores until the designation is corrected.
The ban also applies to Huawei’s sales agent in Taiwan, Xunwei Technology Co, the NCC said, citing a need to protect Taiwan’s sovereignty and integrity.
In response, Xunwei said that it has notified Huawei, which has promised to make the correction as soon as possible.
The five telecom operators said that the ban would not affect their sales significantly, as they had already reduced inventories amid the sanctions imposed on the company by the US.
Huawei unveiled its latest flagship phone — the Mate 30 — in Taiwan on Thursday, stating there were no issues regarding Taiwan’s designation with that model.
Meanwhile, the commission has asked all smartphone and tablet computer brands in the country to make sure that the designation of Taiwan is correct on their products.
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