A Huawei logo is displayed at a retail store in Beijing on May 20, 2019. PHOTO: FRED DUFOUR / AFPHuawei founder Ren Zhengfei on Tuesday shrugged off US attempts to block his company’s global ambitions, saying the United States underestimates the telecom giant’s strength.
“Huawei’s 5G will absolutely not be affected. In terms of 5G technologies, others won’t be able to catch up with Huawei in two or three years,” he said. The move could have dramatic implications for Huawei smartphone users, as the telecoms giant will no longer have access to Google’s proprietary services — which include the Gmail and Google Maps apps — a source close to the matter told AFP.
A company spokesman in Australia said the US actions “will not impact consumers” with a Huawei tablet or smartphone in the country, or those planning to buy a device in the future. US intelligence believes Huawei is backed by the Chinese military and that its equipment could provide Beijing’s intelligence services with a backdoor into the communications networks of rival countries.
Canada has been dragged into the battle. Its arrest of Ren’s daughter, Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, in December on a US extradition bid linked to Iran sanctions violations was followed by the arrest in China of two Canadians, including a former diplomat.
Yeah, Huawei is cooking something tradewar