Huawei: US probe unlikely to affect other business
Updated: 2012-10-17 17:18
(Agencies)
|
||||||||
China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd said on Wednesday a US congressional committee probe into whether its access to communications infrastructure poses a security risk is unlikely to affect its businesses in other overseas markets.
The House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee issued a report earlier this month urging US companies to stop doing business with Huawei and ZTE Corp, the world's No 2 and No 5 telecommunications equipment vendors respectively, over security concerns.
The move has prompted Canada and Britain to also look into similar issues, sparking concerns that it could affect Huawei's business in other markets.
Related reading: China telecom firms' overseas business 'win-win'
"No, I don't think there will be an impact," Huawei's Senior Vice-President Zhang Chunxiang told Reuters, responding to a question on whether its other overseas business would be hit.
Zhang, who spoke on the sidelines of a business event in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, said both sides were still talking and that the US investigation was a sign of trade protectionism.
"They investigated for 11 months and they didn't consider all the different material supplied by Huawei and they still came to that conclusion. They investigated like they never investigated at all," he said.
Blocking Huawei for years
After the almost year-long investigation, the committee warned in a 52-page report that China could use equipment made by both companies to spy on certain communications and threaten vital systems through computerized links.
A staff member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said the panel has been receiving "dozens and dozens" of calls from current and former employees and customers reporting supposedly suspicious equipment behavior, chiefly involving Huawei.
Huawei and ZTE have denied the allegations in the report. Huawei's US spokesman, William Plummer, warned the panel's recommendations would set a "monstrous, market-distorting, trade-distorting policy precedent that could be used in other markets against American companies".
Currently, the US market contributes single-digit percentages to both companies' overall revenues, with the bulk of their sales coming from mobile phones.
Huawei has made previous attempts to sell telecoms equipment to major US carriers, but failed.
"For many years, US has been blocking the entry of Huawei," Zhang said.
The US investigation comes at a time when the United States is headed for presidential and congressional elections in November, with campaign rhetoric heightening trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
President Barack Obama blocked a privately owned Chinese firm from building wind turbines close to a US military site, and challenged Beijing on Chinese auto and auto-parts subsidies in a World Trade Organization case.
His Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, says if elected he will label China a currency manipulator "from day one".
- Huawei, ZTE hit back at 'biased' US market report
- Groundless report threatens US jobs: Huawei
- China opposes US report on Huawei, ZTE
- China telecom firms' overseas business 'win-win'
- Protectionism behind groundless US accusation
- US accusations politicized
- China's Huawei, ZTE face new hurdles in US market
- Relief reaches isolated village
- Rainfall poses new threats to quake-hit region
- Funerals begin for Boston bombing victims
- Quake takeaway from China's Air Force
- Obama celebrates young inventors at science fair
- Earth Day marked around the world
- Volunteer team helping students find sense of normalcy
- Ethnic groups quick to join rescue efforts
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Supplies pour into isolated villages |
All-out efforts to save lives |
American abroad |
Industry savior: Big boys' toys |
New commissioner
|
Liaoning: China's oceangoing giant |
Today's Top News
Health new priority for quake zone
Xi meets US top military officer
Japan's boats driven out of Diaoyu
China mulls online shopping legislation
Bird flu death toll rises to 22
Putin appoints new ambassador to China
Japanese ships blocked from Diaoyu Islands
Inspired by Guan, more Chinese pick up golf
US Weekly
Beyond Yao
|
Money power |