Shawdesh desk:

The US government has stopped approving licences for American firms to export most items to Chinese technology giant Huawei, according to reports.

It comes as the Biden administration continues to tighten its rules on exports of US technology to China.

Washington has previously accused Huawei of being a threat to US national security and of working with the Chinese Communist Party.

The company and the Chinese government have repeatedly denied the allegations.

The US Commerce Department has told some American firms that it would no longer issue licences for US technology exports to Huawei, according to the Financial Times, which first reported the story.

The move comes as Washington moves towards a total ban on the sale of US technology to the Chinese telecom equipment giant, the paper said.