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The New York Stock Exchange abandoned plans to delist three state-owned Chinese telecom companies on Monday, reversing a decision that further dented already strained relations between the world’s two superpowers.

In a brief statement, the stock exchange said it “no longer intends to move forward with the delisting action” for China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom.

No detailed reason was given for the sudden reversal but the exchange said it came after “further consultation with relevant regulatory authorities”.

Shares in the three state-owned telecoms firms jumped on the news.

In Hong Kong trading on Tuesday morning, China Unicom lept eight percent, while China Mobile and China Telecom each rose more than six percent.

The reversal comes just four days after the NYSE said it was ending trading in the companies to comply with an order by the Trump administration barring investment in firms with ties to the Chinese military.

Donald Trump signed an executive order in November banning Americans from investing in Chinese companies deemed to be supplying or supporting the country’s military and security apparatus, earning a sharp rebuke from Beijing.

The order listed 31 companies it said China was using for the “increasing exploitation” of US investment capital to fund military and intelligence services, including the development and deployment of weapons of mass destruction.

It was one of a series of executive orders and regulatory actions that have targeted China’s economic and military expansion in recent months.

Trump’s order prohibits US companies and individuals from owning shares in any of the companies, which also include video surveillance firm Hikvision and China Railway Construction Corp.

National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said at the time the order would prevent Americans from unknowingly providing passive capital to Chinese companies — listed on exchanges around the world — that support the improvement of Beijing’s army and spy agencies.

Under his “America First” banner, Trump has portrayed China as the greatest threat to the United States and global democracy, pursued a trade war with it, harangued Chinese tech firms, and laid all the blame for the coronavirus pandemic at Beijing’s door.

China had criticized the moves to delist its companies and threatened countermeasures.

Emirates SkyCargo has flown in Covid-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech to the United Arab Emirates for the first time for the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
A statement by Emirates media consultant in Nigeria stated that the vaccines were transported from Brussels on Emirates flight EK 182, recently, arriving at Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 22.15 local time.

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, Chairman, Emirates Group, said the airline was proud to be transporting the first batch of Pfizer vaccines for COVID-19 into the UAE for the Dubai Health Authority.
He said its healthcare ecosystem had played an absolutely critical role in every step of the fight against Covid-19 and commended everyone who had worked unceasingly over the last year to protect the lives of those most vulnerable against the disease.

“In recognition of their immense contribution for the well-being of everyone in the UAE, it has been our honour to transport these vaccines free of charge on our flight,” he said.
Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo, said the Emirates SkyCargo was playing its part to join Dubai’s efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

He noted that the city had retained its position as a global logistical hub for connecting vital cargo including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), medical supplies, vaccines, food and other essential items.
“Emirates SkyCargo has set up the world’s largest airside hub dedicated to distributing COVID-19 vaccines and we stand ready to support not just Dubai, but countries around the world, including markets with limited cool chain infrastructure with our advanced capabilities.

“By transporting Covid-19 vaccines across our extensive network, we look forward to helping people around the world get back on their feet after the devastating impact of the pandemic,” he added.
On arrival at DXB, the containers with the vaccines were unloaded on priority from the aircraft and then taken to Emirates SkyCargo’s dedicated pharma facility, Emirates SkyPharma, to await clearance for delivery, the statement said.

Emirates SkyCargo is no stranger to transporting vaccines and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical cargo.
The carrier has more than two decades experience in transporting pharmaceuticals on its aircraft and has set up a state of the art EU GDP certified facilities dedicated for storing and handling pharma cargo in Dubai.