Huawei: US sanctions are 'hard to imagine'

Huawei has dismissed the possibility of being targeted by US sanctions following the struggles faced by compatriot ZTE.

ZTE was slapped with a seven-year ban from dealing with US suppliers for breaching a previous agreement for illegally shipping products to North Korea and Iran. ZTE was obliged to discipline executives involved in the scandal but failed to do so.

The ban placed the company’s future at risk and only a personal intervention from President Donald Trump has given it a chance to overturn the suspension, subject to a $1 billion fine and management overhaul.

Huawei confidence

Huawei rotating CEO Ken Hu told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that his company would continue to purchase the best technology available – and that means dealing with US companies.

“It would be hard to imagine [being punished by sanctions],” he is quoted as saying. “Ten years ago we put in place a system to control our exports, which has become very efficient. Our policy is to closely implement all laws and regulations introduced by Europe, the United Nations and the United States.”

Huawei is the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer and a major player in the telecommunications equipment market. Although it has enjoyed success in Europe, it has effectively been frozen out of the US market where no carriers stock its devices or use its equipment.

This is in contrast to the UK where its handsets are widely available and it works closely with telecoms firms such as BT.