The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, one of the world’s leading academic organizations, on Monday lifted its ban against Huawei-affiliated scholars editing its journals and peer-reviewing papers, days after the ban’s announcement sparked strong backlash from China’s academic community.

In a statement on its official website, IEEE said it had decided to lift the restrictions after requesting and receiving a “clarification” from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Export controls imposed by the department on Huawei and 68 of its affiliates went into effect on May 16, though these had not been intended to affect the academic interests of Huawei’s scientists, according to IEEE’s statement.

Previously, IEEE said it had issued the ban to “comply with U.S. government regulations.” Some Chinese IEEE members condemned the restrictions, saying they violated the universal value of borderless research and were a blemish upon the institute’s academic integrity. On Sunday evening, 10 Chinese academic institutions in engineering-related fields issued a joint letter denouncing IEEE’s decision.

In its latest statement, IEEE said it “recognizes that science and technology are a global activity.” IEEE member Zhang Haixia, a scholar at China’s prestigious Peking University who previously vowed to quit her position as an IEEE journal editor, on Monday called IEEE’s reversal “the best news.” (Image: IC)