Panasonic suspends some component shipments to Huawei amid U.S. blacklist

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Corp said on Thursday it has stopped shipments of certain components to Huawei Technologies to comply with U.S. restrictions on the Chinese company. "Panasonic has instructed employees to halt transactions with Huawei and its 68 affiliates covered by the U.S. ban," the company said in a statement. The Osaka-based company does not have a major production site for components in the United States, but it said the ban applies to goods having 25% or more of U.S.-originated technologies or materials. The company, which makes a wide range of devices for smartphones, cars and factory automation equipment, declined to comment on which components are subject to the ban and where they are produced. The U.S. Commerce Department blocked Huawei from buying U.S. goods last week, saying the firm was involved in activities contrary to national security. The United States temporarily eased the restrictions on Huawei on Monday, to minimize disruption for customers. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Stephen Coates)