The US department of commerce on Tuesday posted a new rule that allows US companies to work with China’s Huawei to develop standards for 5G and other cutting-edge technologies, despite restrictions on doing business with the telecommunications equipment maker.

The rule amends the Huawei “entity listing”, which restricts sales of US goods and technology to the company.

With US companies uncertain what technology they could share, some US engineers did not engage, and Huawei gained a stronger voice

The amendment authorises the release of certain technology to Huawei and its affiliates if it contributes “to the revision or development of a ‘standard’ in a ‘standards organisation’.”

Huawei and 114 of its foreign affiliates on the Entity List “continue to participate in many important international standards organisations in which US companies also participate”, the new rule says.

Naomi Wilson of the Information Technology Industry Council, which represents tech companies, said the rule was a “long-awaited step to clarify that US companies can participate in international standards bodies – even where certain listed entities are present”.