Criticism of Huawei

{{Further|Allegations of intellectual property theft by China}}

File:Huawei 4G+ Modem.jpg

In 2003 Cisco General Counsel Mark Chandler traveled to Shenzhen to confront Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei with evidence of Huawei's theft of Cisco IP. The evidence included typos from Cisco's technical manuals that also appeared in Huawei's, after being presented with the evidence Ren replied "coincidence".{{cite news|author1=Dan Strumpf|author2=Dustin Volz|author3=Kate O'Keeffe|author4=Aruna Viswanatha|author5=Chuin-Wei Yap|title=Huawei's Yearslong Rise Is Littered With Accusations of Theft and Dubious Ethics|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/huaweis-yearslong-rise-is-littered-with-accusations-of-theft-and-dubious-ethics-11558756858|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=14 June 2019|date=2019-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614010340/https://www.wsj.com/articles/huaweis-yearslong-rise-is-littered-with-accusations-of-theft-and-dubious-ethics-11558756858|archive-date=14 June 2019|url-status=live}}

In February 2003, Cisco Systems sued Huawei Technologies for allegedly infringing on its patents and illegally copying source code used in its routers and switches.{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/Cisco_Mot_for_PI.pdf|title=Cisco's motion for preliminary injunction|date=5 February 2003|work=Cisco.com|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815151250/http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/Cisco_Mot_for_PI.pdf|archive-date=15 August 2011|url-status=live}} According to a statement by Cisco, by July 2004 Huawei removed the contested code, manuals and command-line interfaces and the case was subsequently settled out of court.{{cite news|title=Technology briefing: Cisco drops Huawei suit|first=Laurie J.|last=Flynn|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/29/business/technology-briefing-hardware-cisco-drops-patent-infringement-suit.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=29 July 2004|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110082434/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/29/business/technology-briefing-hardware-cisco-drops-patent-infringement-suit.html|archive-date=10 November 2012|url-status=live}} As part of the settlement Huawei admitted that it had copied some of Cisco's router software. Both sides claimed success—with Cisco asserting that "completion of lawsuit marks a victory for the protection of intellectual property rights", and Huawei's partner 3Com (which was not a part of lawsuit) noting that court order prevented Cisco from bringing another case against Huawei asserting the same or substantially similar claims.{{cite news|url=http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=56939|title=Cisco drops Huawei suit|last1=Harvey|first1=Phil|date=28 July 2004|work=Light Reading|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724090035/http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=56939|archive-date=24 July 2012|url-status=live}}

Huawei's chief representative in the U.S. subsequently claimed that Huawei had been vindicated in the case, breaking a confidentiality clause of Huawei's settlement with Cisco. In response, Cisco revealed parts of the independent expert's report produced for the case which proved that Huawei had stolen Cisco code and directly copied it into their products.{{cite web|last=Worth|first=Dan|url=http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2216692/cisco-upbraids-huawei-over-source-code-copying-claims|title=Cisco upbraids Huawei over source code copying claims|publisher=V3.co.uk|date=12 October 2012|access-date=22 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303144133/http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2216692/cisco-upbraids-huawei-over-source-code-copying-claims|archive-date=3 March 2013|url-status=live}} In a company blog post Cisco's Mark Chandler stated that the settled case had included allegations of "direct, verbatim copying of our source code, to say nothing of our command line interface, our help screens, our copyrighted manuals and other elements of our products" by Huawei and provided additional information to support those allegations.{{cite web|last1=Chandler|first1=Mark|title=Huawei and Cisco's Source Code: Correcting the Record|url=https://blogs.cisco.com/news/huawei-and-ciscos-source-code-correcting-the-record|website=cisco.com|publisher=Cisco|access-date=14 June 2019|date=2012-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713191747/https://blogs.cisco.com/news/huawei-and-ciscos-source-code-correcting-the-record|archive-date=13 July 2019|url-status=live}} Prior to Cisco providing conclusive proof in 2012 the story of Huawei's blatant plagiarism had obtained the status of folklore within the routing and switching community.{{cite web|last1=Chaffin|first1=Larry|title=60 Minutes torpedoes Huawei in less than 15 minutes|url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2223272/60-minutes-torpedoes-huawei-in-less-than-15-minutes.html|website=networkworld.com|publisher=Network World|access-date=14 June 2019|date=2012-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611083614/https://www.networkworld.com/article/2223272/60-minutes-torpedoes-huawei-in-less-than-15-minutes.html|archive-date=11 June 2019|url-status=live}}

In September 2014, Huawei faced a lawsuit from T-Mobile US, which alleged that Huawei stole technology from its Bellevue, Washington, headquarters. T-Mobile claimed that Huawei's employees snuck into a T-Mobile lab during the period of 2012–2013 and stole parts of its robot Tappy used for testing smartphones. It alleged that the employees then copied the operating software and design details, and Huawei is now using the data to build its own testing robot. A Huawei spokesman stated to The New York Times that there is some truth to the complaint, but that the two employees involved have been fired. T-Mobile has since stopped using Huawei as a supplier, which T-Mobile says could cost it tens of millions of dollars as it moves away from its handsets.{{cite news|url=http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/devices-smartphones/t-mobile-accuses-huawei-of-espionage/d/d-id/710732|title=T-Mobile Accuses Huawei of Espionage|date=9 September 2014|author=Thomas, Sarah|newspaper=Light Reading|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808200015/http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/devices-smartphones/t-mobile-accuses-huawei-of-espionage/d/d-id/710732|archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=live}}

In May 2017, a jury concluded that Huawei had misappropriated T-Mobile's trade secrets but awarded $4.8 million of damages only for a breach of supplier contract, not espionage. Huawei contended that the Tappy robot's secrets had already been publicly disclosed by T-Mobile in 2012. A limited inspection of Huawei's robotics facilities by a third-party expert turned out inconclusively.{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/19/huawei_spied_us_jury_finds|title=Huawei spied, US federal jury finds|work=The Register|date=19 May 2017|author=Orlowski, Andrew|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808233058/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/19/huawei_spied_us_jury_finds|archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/july-awards-t-mobile-48m-in-trade-secrets-case-against-huawei|title=Jury awards T-Mobile $4.8M in trade-secrets case against Huawei|work=The Seattle Times|date=18 May 2017|author=Lerman, Rachel|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725190656/http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/july-awards-t-mobile-48m-in-trade-secrets-case-against-huawei/|archive-date=25 July 2017|url-status=live}}

In July 2010, Motorola filed an amended complaint that named Huawei as a co-defendant in its case against Lemko for alleged theft of trade secrets.{{cite news|title=Motorola sues Huawei for trade secret theft|first1=Phil|last1=Wahba|first2=Melanie|last2=Lee|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2010/07/22/motorola-huawei-idUSTOE66L|agency=Reuters|date=22 July 2010|access-date=15 July 2011}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704684604575381362665259760|title=Motorola Claims Huawei Plot|last=Rhoads|first=Christopher|date=2010-07-22|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-04-04|issn=0099-9660|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404013621/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704684604575381362665259760|archive-date=2019-04-04|url-status=live}}

In January 2011, Huawei filed a lawsuit against Motorola to prevent its intellectual property from being illegally transferred to Nokia Siemens Networks ("NSN") as part of NSN's US$1.2 billion acquisition of Motorola's wireless network business.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703555804576101893898645486|title=Huawei Sues Motorola to Block Asset Sale|last=Raice|first=Shayndi|date=2011-01-25|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-04-04|issn=0099-9660|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404013620/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703555804576101893898645486|archive-date=2019-04-04|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/01/24/huawei-sues-motorola-over-patents-disclosed-to-nokia-siemens-acquired-wireless-network/|title=Huawei Sues Motorola Over Patents Disclosed To Nokia Siemens-Acquired Wireless Network|last1=Rao|first1=Leena|date=24 January 2011|work=Tech Crunch|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726162735/http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/24/huawei-sues-motorola-over-patents-disclosed-to-nokia-siemens-acquired-wireless-network/|archive-date=26 July 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.huawei.com/ilink/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/HW_062574|title=Huawei Files Lawsuit Against Motorola for IP Infringement|date=24 January 2011|work=Huawei.com|publisher=Huawei|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206102028/http://www.huawei.com/ilink/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/HW_062574|archive-date=6 February 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Huawei sues to alter Motorola-Nokia Siemens deal|first=Sinead|last=Carew|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-motorola-idUSTRE70N3V120110124|agency=Reuters|date=24 January 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603213726/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/24/us-huawei-motorola-idUSTRE70N3V120110124|archive-date=3 June 2011|url-status=live}} In April 2011, Motorola and Huawei entered into an agreement to settle all pending litigation,{{cite web|url=http://www.huawei.com/ilink/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/HW_089738|title=Motorola Solutions and Huawei Issue Joint Statement|date=13 April 2011|work=Huawei.com|publisher=Huawei|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204093048/http://www.huawei.com/ilink/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/HW_089738|archive-date=4 February 2012|url-status=live}} with Motorola paying an undisclosed sum to Huawei for the intellectual property that would be part of the sale to NSN.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/technology/14huawei.html|title=Motorola Solutions and Huawei Settle Claims|last=Barboza|first=David|date=2011-04-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-04|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105163203/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/technology/14huawei.html|archive-date=2016-01-05|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Motorola and Huawei settle trade secret dispute|first=Paul|last=Thomasch|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-motorola-huawei-idUSTRE73C2V820110413|agency=Reuters|date=13 April 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804161057/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/13/us-motorola-huawei-idUSTRE73C2V820110413|archive-date=4 August 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Huawei settles Motorola Solutions trade secrets dispute|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13075620|publisher=BBC News|date=13 April 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417082503/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13075620|archive-date=17 April 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/motorola-huawei-settle-their-dispute/2011/04/13/AFSchOWD_blog.html|title=Motorola, Huawei settle their dispute|last1=Tsukayama|first1=Hayley|date=13 April 2011|work=Post Tech|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113100408/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/motorola-huawei-settle-their-dispute/2011/04/13/AFSchOWD_blog.html|archive-date=13 November 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/04/13/motorola-and-huawei-settle-patent-lawsuit/|title=Motorola and Huawei settle patent lawsuit|last1=Rao|first1=Leena|date=13 April 2011|work=Tech Crunch|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618203645/http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/13/motorola-and-huawei-settle-patent-lawsuit/|archive-date=18 June 2011|url-status=live}}{{Excessive citations inline|date=March 2022}}

In a further move to protect its intellectual property, Huawei filed lawsuits in Germany, France and Hungary in April 2011 against ZTE for patent and trademark infringement.{{cite news|title=Huawei sues ZTE in Germany, France, Hungary|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/huawei-idUKL3E7FS2OV20110428|agency=Reuters|date=28 April 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729013755/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/huawei-idUKL3E7FS2OV20110428|archive-date=29 July 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Huawei sues ZTE over patents|first=Kathrin|last=Hille|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/13f61fde-71a9-11e0-9b7a-00144feabdc0.html|newspaper=Financial Times|date=28 April 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110201730/http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/13f61fde-71a9-11e0-9b7a-00144feabdc0.html|archive-date=10 November 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Huawei draws blood in ZTE patent tussle|first=Gavin|last=Clarke|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/11/huawei_v_zte/|newspaper=The Register|date=11 May 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712192613/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/11/huawei_v_zte/|archive-date=12 July 2011|url-status=live}} The following day, ZTE countersued Huawei for patent infringement in China.{{cite news|title=ZTE sues Huawei in China for patent infringement over 4G tech|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/zte-huawei-idUSL3E7FT13220110429|agency=Reuters|date=29 April 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602154102/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/29/zte-huawei-idUSL3E7FT13220110429|archive-date=2 June 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=ZTE counter-sues Huawei over LTE technology in China|url=http://onespot.wsj.com/gadgets/2011/04/29/39387/zte-counter-sues-huawei-over-lte|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=29 April 2011|access-date=15 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007052511/http://onespot.wsj.com/gadgets/2011/04/29/39387/zte-counter-sues-huawei-over-lte|archive-date=7 October 2011}}

Brian Shields, former chief security officer at Nortel, said that his company was compromised in 2004 by China-based hackers; executive credentials were accessed remotely, and entire computers were taken over.{{Cite web|last=Kehoe|first=John|date=26 May 2014|title=How Chinese hacking felled telecommunication giant Nortel|url=https://www.afr.com/technology/web/security/how-chinese-hacking-felled-telecommunication-giant-nortel-20140526-iux6a|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607204151/https://www.afr.com/technology/web/security/how-chinese-hacking-felled-telecommunication-giant-nortel-20140526-iux6a|archive-date=7 June 2019|access-date=7 June 2019|website=Australian Financial Review}} Nortel's own specialist did not find any abnormality. In 2008, Shields decided to approach an outside expert, who reported finding sophisticated malware in the company's machines and activities traced to Chinese IP addresses and discussions on a Mandarin Internet forum. Shields had been trying to escalate the issue within the company, but senior staff members did not take any action.{{cite web|last1=Berkow|first1=Jameson|title=Nortel hacked to pieces|url=https://business.financialpost.com/technology/nortel-hacked-to-pieces|work=Financial Post|access-date=7 June 2019|date=2012-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607204136/https://business.financialpost.com/technology/nortel-hacked-to-pieces|archive-date=7 June 2019|url-status=dead}} A former CSIS official said the agency approached the company but was rebuffed.{{Cite news|last=Marlow|first=Iain|date=15 February 2012|title=Nortel turned to RCMP about cyber hacking in 2004, ex-employee says|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/tech-news/nortel-turned-to-rcmp-about-cyber-hacking-in-2004-ex-employee-says/article534295/|access-date=7 June 2019}}

Cybersecurity experts have some doubts about a hack of such magnitude as described by Shields, calling it "unlikely". Shields does not think Huawei was directly involved, but industry insiders, including him, believe that Huawei was a beneficiary.{{cite web|last1=Waddell|first1=Nick|title=Will allegations against Huawei forever change Nortel's legacy?|url=https://www.cantechletter.com/2012/10/will-allegations-against-huawei-forever-change-nortels-legacy/|website=cantechletter.com|publisher=Cantech Letter|access-date=7 June 2019|date=2012-10-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607221327/https://www.cantechletter.com/2012/10/will-allegations-against-huawei-forever-change-nortels-legacy/|archive-date=7 June 2019|url-status=live}}

In June 2004, a Huawei employee was caught after-hours taking photographs of a piece of Fujitsu networking equipment at the SuperComm trade show. His memory card and hand-drawn diagrams were subsequently confiscated. The employee said he did not know taking photographs were forbidden. Huawei said his action was not authorized and either terminated the employee or reduced his pay, according to various reports.{{cite news|title=Huawei isn't in the clear yet|first=Peter|last=Burrows|url=http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2004/tc20040730_5618_tc024.htm|work=Bloomberg Businessweek|date=30 July 2004|access-date=15 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915023155/http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2004/tc20040730_5618_tc024.htm|archive-date=15 September 2011}} The employee denied the accusation, but was later dismissed.{{cite news|url=http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=57888|title=Huawei fires SuperComm snooper|last1=Harvey|first1=Phil|date=17 August 2004|work=Light Reading|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724074031/http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=57888|archive-date=24 July 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/hw-088503-news.htm|title=Statement from Huawei Technologies in response to questions regarding events at the SuperComm trade show|date=5 August 2004|work=Huawei|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204093036/http://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/hw-088503-news.htm|archive-date=4 February 2012|url-status=dead}}

Huawei was under investigation by FBI in the United States for sending some diamond glass samples developed by the company Akhan Semiconductor to China without authorization to test and destroy the product in order to steal intellectual property.{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/2185024/fbi-ran-sting-against-huawei-new-technology-theft-case|title=FBI 'ran sting against Huawei in new technology theft case'|date=February 5, 2019|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514223957/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/2185024/fbi-ran-sting-against-huawei-new-technology-theft-case|archive-date=May 14, 2019|url-status=live}}

CNEX Labs claims that a Huawei executive, with the help of a Chinese university, attempted to steal CNEX's solid-state drive computer storage technology.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/huawei-executive-is-accused-of-involvement-in-trade-secrets-theft-u-s-startup-said-in-court-filings-11558550468|title=Huawei Executive Accused by U.S. Startup of Involvement in Trade-Secrets Theft|first=Kate|last=O'Keeffe|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=May 23, 2019|access-date=May 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527050046/https://www.wsj.com/articles/huawei-executive-is-accused-of-involvement-in-trade-secrets-theft-u-s-startup-said-in-court-filings-11558550468|archive-date=May 27, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/22/18636237/huawei-cnex-trade-secrets-lawsuit-eric-xu-accusation-trial-hearing|title=Huawei executive accused of helping steal trade secrets|website=The Verge|date=2019-05-22|access-date=2019-05-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527051254/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/22/18636237/huawei-cnex-trade-secrets-lawsuit-eric-xu-accusation-trial-hearing|archive-date=2019-05-27|url-status=live}}

{{very long|section|date=April 2019}}{{See also|Chinese intelligence activity abroad}}

In the U.S., officials and politicians within the federal government have raised concerns that Huawei-made telecommunications equipment may be designed to allow unauthorised access by the Chinese government and the Chinese People's Liberation Army,{{cite web|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf|title=Annual Report to Congress Military Power of the People's Republic of China|year=2008|work=Defense link|publisher=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=5 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012082939/http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf|archive-date=12 October 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Chinese telecom company Huawei open to US investigation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12575237|publisher=BBC News|date=25 February 2011|access-date=29 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118131914/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12575237|archive-date=18 November 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=The Huawei Way|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2006/01/15/the-huawei-way.html|newspaper=Newsweek|date=15 January 2006|access-date=29 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309025214/http://www.newsweek.com/2006/01/15/the-huawei-way.html|archive-date=9 March 2011|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/breaking-news/chinese-spy-fears-over-broadband/story-e6frg90f-1111118350641|title=Chinese spy fears on broadband frontrunner|work=The Australian|date=18 December 2008|access-date=5 September 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516140139/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/breaking-news/chinese-spy-fears-over-broadband/story-e6frg90f-1111118350641|archive-date=16 May 2013}} given that Ren Zhengfei, the founder of the company, served as an engineer in the army in the early 1980s.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/technology/26telecom.html|title=Huawei Technologies of China's Bold Push into U.S.|last1=Markoff|first1=John|date=2010-10-25|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-04|last2=Barboza|first2=David|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219173721/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/technology/26telecom.html|archive-date=2017-02-19|url-status=live}} The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States scrutinized a deal by Bain Capital to acquire 3Com with Huawei as a minority investor, and an attempt to acquire the virtualization firm 3Leaf Systems, both due to security concerns (with concerns that China could gain access to U.S. military-grade technology in the case of the former). Both deals fell through.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/business/worldbusiness/21iht-3com.1.10258216.html|title=Sale of 3Com to Huawei is derailed by U.S. security concerns|last=Weisman|first=Steven R.|date=2008-02-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-30|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526130128/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/business/worldbusiness/21iht-3com.1.10258216.html|archive-date=2019-05-26|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/3com-huawei-deal-in-trouble-over-china-connection/|title=3Com-Huawei deal 'in trouble' over China connection|last=Naraine|first=Ryan|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=2019-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611211107/https://www.zdnet.com/article/3com-huawei-deal-in-trouble-over-china-connection/|archive-date=2019-06-11|url-status=live}} In 2010, Sprint Nextel blocked bids by Huawei on a supply contract, after the company was contacted by the Secretary of Commerce.{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2011/07/28/what-makes-china-telecom-huawei-so-scary/|title=What makes China telecom Huawei so scary?|website=Fortune|access-date=2019-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531043507/http://fortune.com/2011/07/28/what-makes-china-telecom-huawei-so-scary/|archive-date=2019-05-31|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/business/global/23telecom.html|title=Huawei Bid for Sprint Contract Hits a Hurdle|last=Barboza|first=David|date=2010-08-22|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-31|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531152818/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/business/global/23telecom.html|archive-date=2019-05-31|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Congress to probe 3Com-Huawei deal|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/feb/02/congress-to-probe-3com-huawei-deal/|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=2 February 2008|access-date=29 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019144302/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/feb/02/congress-to-probe-3com-huawei-deal/|archive-date=19 October 2012|url-status=live}}

In the United Kingdom, the Conservative Party raised concerns about security over Huawei's bid for Marconi in 2005, and the company's equipment was mentioned as an alleged potential threat in a 2009 government briefing by Alex Allan, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5993156.ece|location=London|work=The Times|first=Michael|last=Smith|title=Spy chiefs fear Chinese cyber attack|date=29 March 2009|access-date=29 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106233255/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5993156.ece|archive-date=6 November 2010|url-status=dead}} In November 2010, Huawei agreed to proactively allow local officials to perform cybersecurity examinations of its products, resulting in the opening of the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC). Its oversight board includes members of the National Cyber Security Centre and GCHQ.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/212518/huawei_open_security_test_center_in_the_uk.html|title=Huawei open security test center in the UK|last1=Kirk|first1=Jeremy|date=6 December 2010|work=PC World|access-date=29 August 2011|archive-date=23 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222211/https://www.pcworld.com/article/212518/article.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/03/uk-cyber-security-officials-report-huaweis-security-practices-are-a-mess/|title=UK cyber security officials report Huawei's security practices are a mess|last=Gallagher|first=Sean|date=2019-03-28|website=Ars Technica|access-date=2020-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310033941/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/03/uk-cyber-security-officials-report-huaweis-security-practices-are-a-mess/|archive-date=2020-03-10|url-status=live}}

In October 2009, the Indian Department of Telecommunications reportedly requested national telecom operators to "self-regulate" the use of all equipment from European, U.S. and Chinese telecoms manufacturers following security concerns.{{cite news|title=India's telecom agency raises China spy scare|first=Indrajit|last=Basu|url=http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2009/10/08/indias_telecom_agency_raises_china_spy_scare/1789/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009235328/http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2009/10/08/indias_telecom_agency_raises_china_spy_scare/1789/|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 October 2009|work=UPI Asia|date=8 October 2009|access-date=29 August 2011}} Earlier, in 2005, Huawei was blocked from supplying equipment to India's Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) cellular phone service provider.[http://www.cellular-news.com/story/40952.php BSNL Cancels Huawei GSM Tender Covering Southern India] {{Webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100201152907/http://www.cellular-news.com/story/40952.php |date= 2010-02-01}} Cellular News. In 2010, the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) insisted on cancelling the rest of the Huawei contract with BSNL and pressed charges against several top BSNL officers regarding their "doubtful integrity and dubious links with Chinese firms".[http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/CBI-to-probe-link-between-BSNL-officers-Chinese-firm/Article1-526487.aspx CBI to probe link between BSNL officers, Chinese firm] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405065246/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/CBI-to-probe-link-between-BSNL-officers-Chinese-firm/Article1-526487.aspx |date=5 April 2010 }} Hindustan Times.[http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/PMO-forced-BSNL-to-remove-top-officials/Article1-526849.aspx PMO forced BSNL to remove top officials] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110605054609/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/PMO-forced-BSNL-to-remove-top-officials/Article1-526849.aspx |date=5 June 2011}} Hindustan Times. In June 2010, an interim solution was introduced that would allow the import of Chinese-made telecoms equipment to India if pre-certified by international security agencies such as Canada's Electronic Warfare Associates, U.S.-based Infoguard, and Israel's ALTAL Security Consulting.{{cite web|url=http://about.ovum.com/podcasts/272|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708154956/http://about.ovum.com/podcasts/272|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 July 2012|title=India lifts ban on Chinese telecoms vendors|last1=Putcha|first1=Shiv|last2=Grivolas|first2=Julien|date=4 June 2010|work=Ovum|access-date=29 August 2011}}

In a 2011 open letter, Huawei stated that the security concerns are "unfounded and unproven" and called on the U.S. government to investigate any aspect of its business.{{cite web|url=http://www.huawei.com/ilink/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/HW_092875|title=Huawei Open Letter|last1=Hu|first1=Ken|publisher=Huawei|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204093004/http://www.huawei.com/ilink/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/HW_092875|archive-date=4 February 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/02/25/huawei-executives-open-letter-to-the-u-s/|title=Huawei Executive's Open Letter to the U.S.|last1=Chao|first1=Loretta|date=25 February 2011|work=China Real Time Report|access-date=29 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829145638/http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/02/25/huawei-executives-open-letter-to-the-u-s/|archive-date=29 August 2011|url-status=live}} The U.S.-based non-profit organisation Asia Society carried out a review of Chinese companies trying to invest in the U.S., including Huawei. The organisation found that only a few investment deals were blocked following unfavorable findings by the CFIUS or had been given a recommendation not to apply. However, all large transactions had been politicised by groups including the U.S. media, members of Congress and the security community.{{cite web|url=http://asiasociety.org/files/pdf/AnAmericanOpenDoor_FINAL.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812221443/http://asiasociety.org/files/pdf/AnAmericanOpenDoor_FINAL.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 August 2011|title=An American Open Door?|last1=Rosen|first1=Daniel H.|last2=Hanemann|first2=Thilo|date=May 2011|publisher=The Asia Society|page=62|access-date=29 August 2011}} However, another article unrelated to the report published by the Asia Society reported that, "fear that the P.R.C. government could strongarm private or unaffiliated Chinese groups into giving up cyber-secrets is reflected in the U.S. government's treatment of Chinese telecom company Huawei."{{cite news|last=Le|first=Bryan|title=The Chinese Cyber-Threat|url=http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/chinese-cyber-threat|publisher=Asia Society|date=4 August 2011|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513032207/http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/chinese-cyber-threat|archive-date=13 May 2013|url-status=live}}

In December 2011, Bloomberg reported that the U.S. is invoking Cold War-era national security powers to force telecommunication companies including AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. to divulge confidential information about their networks in a hunt for Chinese cyber-spying. The U.S. House Intelligence Committee had said on 18 November that it would investigate foreign companies, and a spokesman for Huawei said that the company conducts its businesses according to normal business practices and actually welcomed the investigation.{{cite news|title=U.S. Hunting for Chinese Telecom Spyware|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-30/obama-invokes-cold-war-security-powers-to-unmask-chinese-telecom-spyware.html|url-access=subscription|date=1 December 2011|access-date=1 December 2011|publisher=Bloomberg News|first=Michael|last=Riley|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202215935/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-30/obama-invokes-cold-war-security-powers-to-unmask-chinese-telecom-spyware.html|archive-date=2 December 2011|url-status=live}} On 8 October 2012, the Committee issued a report concluding Huawei and ZTE were a "national security threat".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/us/us-panel-calls-huawei-and-zte-national-security-threat.html|title=U.S. Panel Calls Huawei and ZTE 'National Security Threat'|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|date=2012-10-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-04|last2=Bradsher|first2=Keith|issn=0362-4331|last3=Hauser|first3=Christine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309075207/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/us/us-panel-calls-huawei-and-zte-national-security-threat.html|archive-date=2017-03-09|url-status=live}} However, a 2012 White House-ordered review found no concrete evidence to support the House report's espionage allegations.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-spying-idUSBRE89G1Q920121018|title=White House-ordered review found no evidence of Huawei spying: sources|agency=Reuters|date=18 October 2012|access-date=19 October 2012|last=Menn|first=Joseph|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019002114/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/18/us-huawei-spying-idUSBRE89G1Q920121018|archive-date=19 October 2012|url-status=live}}

In March 2012, Australian media sources reported that the Australian government had excluded Huawei from tendering for contracts with NBN Co, a government-owned corporation that is managing the construction of the National Broadband Network,Australian Financial Review (2012). [http://www.afr.com/p/technology/china_giant_banned_from_nbn_9U9zi1oc3FXBF3BZdRD9mJ China's Huawei banned from NBN] {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121105214519/http://www.afr.com/p/technology/china_giant_banned_from_nbn_9U9zi1oc3FXBF3BZdRD9mJ |date= 2012-11-05}}. Retrieved 26 March 2012. following advice from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation regarding security concerns.Australian Financial Review (2012). [http://afr.com/p/national/asio_forced_nbn_to_dump_huawei_FaglE6qWrqd5utgLpR0IdO ASIO forced NBN to dump Huawei] {{Webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120728090307/http://www.afr.com/p/national/asio_forced_nbn_to_dump_huawei_FaglE6qWrqd5utgLpR0IdO |date=2012-07-28}}. Retrieved 26 March 2012. The Attorney-General's Department stated in response to these reports that the National Broadband Network is "a strategic and significant government investment, [and] we have a responsibility to do our utmost to protect its integrity and that of the information carried on it."{{cite web|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/dealjournalaustralia/2012/03/26/canberra-talks-integrity-after-reportedly-banning-huawei-from-nbn/|title=Canberra Talks Integrity After Reportedly Banning Huawei From NBN|last=Winning|first=David|date=2012-03-25|website=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218110146/http://blogs.wsj.com/dealjournalaustralia/2012/03/26/canberra-talks-integrity-after-reportedly-banning-huawei-from-nbn/|archive-date=2017-02-18|url-status=live}}

On 9 October 2012, a spokesperson for prime minister Stephen Harper indicated that the Canadian government invoked a national security exception to exclude Huawei from its plans to build a secure government communications network.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-huawei-canada-idUSBRE8981CB20121010|title=Huawei faces exclusion from planned Canada government network|agency=Reuters|date=9 October 2012|access-date=10 October 2012|last=Palmer|first=Randall|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010043150/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/10/us-usa-china-huawei-canada-idUSBRE8981CB20121010|archive-date=10 October 2012|url-status=live}}

On 19 July 2013, Michael Hayden, former head of the U.S. National Security Agency and director of Motorola Solutions, claimed that he has seen hard evidence of backdoors in Huawei's networking equipment and that the company engaged in espionage and shared intimate knowledge of the foreign telecommunications systems with the Chinese government.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10191154/Ex-CIA-chief-accuses-Huawei-of-industrial-espionage.html|title=Ex-CIA chief accuses Huawei of industrial espionage|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=19 July 2013|last=Curtis|first=Sophie|access-date=9 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109075325/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10191154/Ex-CIA-chief-accuses-Huawei-of-industrial-espionage.html|archive-date=9 January 2014|url-status=live}} Huawei and Motorola Solutions had previously been engaged in intellectual property disputes for a number of years. Huawei's global cybersecurity officer, John Suffolk, described the comments made by Hayden as "tired, unsubstantiated, defamatory remarks" and challenged him and other critics to present any evidence publicly.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/19/huawei-spied-chinese-government-ex-cia-boss Huawei has spied for Chinese government, ex-CIA boss says | World news] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202121755/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/19/huawei-spied-chinese-government-ex-cia-boss |date=2017-02-02 }}. The Guardian. (19 July 2013). Retrieved 9 December 2013.

In 2014, The New York Times reported, based upon documents leaked by Edward Snowden, that the U.S. National Security Agency has since 2007 been operating a covert program against Huawei. This involved breaking into Huawei's internal networks, including headquarters networks and founder Ren Zhengfei's communications.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/world/asia/nsa-breached-chinese-servers-seen-as-spy-peril.html|title=N.S.A. Breached Chinese Servers Seen as Security Threat|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|date=2014-03-22|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-04|last2=Perlroth|first2=Nicole|issn=0362-4331|author-link=David E. Sanger|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218125030/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/world/asia/nsa-breached-chinese-servers-seen-as-spy-peril.html|archive-date=2017-02-18|url-status=live}} In 2014, Huawei reached a sponsorship deal with the NFL's Washington Redskins to install free public Wi-Fi at FedExField, but the agreement was abruptly shelved weeks after it was announced due to unofficial action by a U.S. government advisor.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/huawei-had-a-deal-to-give-washington-redskins-fans-free-wi-fi-until-the-government-stepped-in-11545647401|title=Huawei Had a Deal to Give Washington Redskins Fans Free Wi-Fi, Until the Government Stepped In|last1=Woo|first1=Stu|date=2018-12-24|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-04-04|last2=Beaton|first2=Andrew|issn=0099-9660|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224173109/https://www.wsj.com/articles/huawei-had-a-deal-to-give-washington-redskins-fans-free-wi-fi-until-the-government-stepped-in-11545647401|archive-date=2018-12-24|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/17/inside-ring-redskins-drop-plans-use-chinese-built-/|title=Inside the Ring: Redskins drop plans to use Chinese-built Wi-Fi at stadium|website=The Washington Times|access-date=24 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224220428/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/17/inside-ring-redskins-drop-plans-use-chinese-built-/|archive-date=24 December 2018|url-status=live}}

In 2016, Canada's immigration department said it planned to deny permanent resident visas to three Chinese citizens who worked for Huawei over concerns the applicants are involved in espionage, terrorism, and government subversion.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/canada-plans-to-reject-chinese-workers-on-suspicion-they-could-be-spies/|title=Canada Plans to Reject Chinese Telecom Workers on Suspicion They Could Be Spies|date=25 May 2016|last=Browne|first=Rachel|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808194215/https://news.vice.com/article/canada-plans-to-reject-chinese-workers-on-suspicion-they-could-be-spies|archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=live}}

In 2018, an investigation by French newspaper Le Monde alleged that China had engaged in hacking the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia from 2012 to 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c26a9214-04f2-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5|title=African Union accuses China of hacking headquarters|date=30 January 2018|last=Aglionby|first=John|newspaper=Financial Times|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130082532/https://www.ft.com/content/c26a9214-04f2-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5|archive-date=30 January 2018|url-status=live}} The building was built by Chinese contractors, including Huawei, and Huawei equipment has been linked to these hacks.{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/news/policy/foreign-affairs/huawei-linked-to-major-data-breach-20180712-h12l84|title=Huawei linked to major data breach|date=12 July 2018|last=Grigg|first=Angus|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716140536/https://www.afr.com/news/policy/foreign-affairs/huawei-linked-to-major-data-breach-20180712-h12l84|archive-date=16 July 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Cave|first=Danielle|date=2018-07-12|title=The African Union headquarters hack and Australia's 5G network|url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-african-union-headquarters-hack-and-australias-5g-network/|access-date=2022-08-07|website=The Strategist}} The Chinese government denied that they bugged the building, stating that the accusations were "utterly groundless and ridiculous."{{Cite news|url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/if-china-bugged-the-au-headquarters-what-african-countries-should-be-worried/|title=If China Bugged the AU Headquarters, What African Countries Should Be Worried?|last=Tiezzi|first=Shannon|work=The Diplomat|access-date=4 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205001133/https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/if-china-bugged-the-au-headquarters-what-african-countries-should-be-worried/|archive-date=5 February 2018|url-status=live}} Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn rejected the French media report.{{cite web|url=https://www.enca.com/africa/au-spying-report-absurd-china|title=AU spying report absurd: China|website=Enca|access-date=21 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824065955/https://www.enca.com/africa/au-spying-report-absurd-china|archive-date=24 August 2018|url-status=live}} Moussa Faki Mahamat, head of the African Union Commission, said the allegations in the Le Monde report were false. "These are totally false allegations and I believe that we are completely disregarding them."{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-africanunion/african-union-says-has-no-secret-dossiers-after-china-spying-report-idUSKBN1FS19W|title=African Union says has no secret dossiers after China spying report|agency=Reuters|access-date=21 March 2018|date=2018-02-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910185151/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-africanunion/african-union-says-has-no-secret-dossiers-after-china-spying-report-idUSKBN1FS19W|archive-date=10 September 2018|url-status=live}}

On 17 April 2018, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held a preliminary, 5–0 vote on rules forbidding the use of government subsidies to purchase telecom equipment from companies deemed to be a risk to national security. A draft of the policy specifically named Huawei and ZTE as examples.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-17/huawei-zte-targeted-as-security-ban-advances-at-u-s-fcc|title=Huawei and ZTE Targeted While Security Ban Advances at U.S. FCC|date=17 April 2018|publisher=Bloomberg News|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419050834/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-17/huawei-zte-targeted-as-security-ban-advances-at-u-s-fcc|archive-date=19 April 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/technology/china-huawei-washington.html|title=Huawei, Failing to Crack U.S. Market, Signals a Change in Tactics|last1=Zhong|first1=Raymond|date=17 April 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=18 April 2018|last2=Mozur|first2=Paul|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417231611/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/technology/china-huawei-washington.html|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}} The same day, the company revealed plans to downplay the U.S. market as part of its future business plans, citing the government scrutiny as having impeded its business there.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/17/chinese-electronics-giant-huawei-signals-a-change-in-tactics.html|title=Chinese electronics giant Huawei signals a change in tactics after failing to crack US market|last2=Mozur|first1=Raymond|last1=Zhong|first2=Paul|date=17 April 2018|publisher=CNBC|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417223819/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/17/chinese-electronics-giant-huawei-signals-a-change-in-tactics.html|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}}

In August 2018, U.S. president Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which contains a provision barring the U.S. government from purchasing hardware from Huawei or ZTE, under cybersecurity ground.{{Cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/trump-signs-bill-banning-feds-from-using-huawei-zte-technology/|title=New law bans US gov't from buying tech from Chinese giants ZTE and Huawei|work=Ars Technica|access-date=2018-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529164610/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/trump-signs-bill-banning-feds-from-using-huawei-zte-technology/|archive-date=2019-05-29|url-status=live}} In retaliation for the aforementioned campaigns and legislation targeting the company, Huawei sued the U.S. government in March 2019, alleging that it has "repeatedly failed to produce any evidence to support its restrictions", and that Congress failed to provide it due process.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/business/huawei-united-states-trade-lawsuit.html|title=Huawei Sues U.S. Government Over What It Calls an Unfair Ban|last1=Mozur|first1=Paul|date=2019-03-06|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-04|last2=Ramzy|first2=Austin|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530075021/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/business/huawei-united-states-trade-lawsuit.html|archive-date=2019-05-30|url-status=live}}

In March 2019, the HCSEC Oversight Board published a report stating that it had "continued to identify concerning issues in Huawei's approach to software development bringing significantly increased risk to UK operators", and that it had "not yet seen anything to give it confidence in Huawei's capacity to successfully complete the elements of its transformation programme that it has proposed as a means of addressing these underlying defects". The report cited, in particular, use of outdated versions of VxWorks in its networking equipment and inconsistent checksums between OS images, and during a visit to a Huawei development centre in Shanghai, it was found that Huawei had been using an "unmanageable number" of OpenSSL revisions between individual products.

On 30 April 2019, Bloomberg News published a report alleging that between 2009 and 2011, Vodafone Italy had discovered several security vulnerabilities in its Huawei fixed-line network equipment, including unspecified backdoors in optical nodes and broadband gateways, and unsecured telnet on its home routers that could give Huawei access to Vodafone's network. The report claimed that despite having claimed to have patched them, some of them had persisted through 2012, and that the same vulnerabilities could be found in Huawei equipment used by other regional Vodafone subsidiaries. Both Huawei and Vodafone disputed Bloomberg{{'}}s allegations: Huawei stated that the alleged security vulnerabilities had been patched after they were discovered and reported, and described the alleged "backdoors" as "technical mistakes" that had been "put right". Historically telnet has been commonly used in the industry for remote operation. It is a standard text based interface to a remote host. Vodafone stated that the interface would not have been accessible from the internet, that it was "nothing more than a failure to remove a diagnostic function after development", and there was no evidence of any actual breaches.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/apr/30/alleged-huawei-router-backdoor-is-standard-networking-tool-says-firm|title=Huawei says alleged router 'backdoor' is standard network tool|last=Neate|first=Rupert|date=2019-04-30|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-02|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231203047/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/apr/30/alleged-huawei-router-backdoor-is-standard-networking-tool-says-firm|archive-date=2019-12-31|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/04/bloomberg-claims-vodafone-found-backdoors-in-huawei-equipment-vodafone-disagrees/|title=Bloomberg alleges Huawei routers and network gear are backdoored|last=Bright|first=Peter|date=2019-04-30|website=Ars Technica|access-date=2019-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101150551/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/04/bloomberg-claims-vodafone-found-backdoors-in-huawei-equipment-vodafone-disagrees/|archive-date=2020-01-01|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/huawei-denies-existence-of-backdoors-in-vodafone-networking-equipment-brands-them-technical-flaws/|title=Huawei denies existence of 'backdoors' in Vodafone networking equipment|last=Osborne|first=Charlie|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=2019-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307180654/https://www.zdnet.com/article/huawei-denies-existence-of-backdoors-in-vodafone-networking-equipment-brands-them-technical-flaws/|archive-date=2020-03-07|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48103430|title=Vodafone denies Huawei Italy security risk|publisher=BBC News|date=2019-04-30|access-date=2019-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216220247/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48103430|archive-date=2019-12-16|url-status=live}}

On 15 May 2019, Trump issued the Executive Order on Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain, which gives the government power to restrict any transactions with "foreign adversaries" that involve information and communications technology. The same day, also citing violations of economic sanctions against Iran, the U.S. Department of Commerce added Huawei and its affiliates to its Entity List under the Export Administration Regulations. This restricts U.S. companies from doing business with Huawei without government permission.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/18/its-not-just-huawei-trumps-new-tech-sector-order-could-ripple-through-global-supply-chains|title=It's not just Huawei. Trump's new tech sector order could ripple through global supply chains.|last=Webster|first=Graham|date=May 18, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520090639/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/18/its-not-just-huawei-trumps-new-tech-sector-order-could-ripple-through-global-supply-chains/|archive-date=May 20, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/15/us-blacklist-huawei-70-affiliates/|title=Tech stocks slide on US decision to blacklist Huawei and 70 affiliates|website=TechCrunch|date=16 May 2019|access-date=2019-05-18|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222005/https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/15/us-blacklist-huawei-70-affiliates/|url-status=live}} On 19 May 2019, Reuters reported that Google had suspended Huawei's ability to use the Android operating system on its devices with licensed Google Mobile Services, due to these restrictions.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/19/18631558/google-huawei-android-suspension|title=Google pulls Huawei's Android license, forcing it to use open source version|last=Sottek|first=T. C.|date=2019-05-19|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520153127/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/19/18631558/google-huawei-android-suspension|archive-date=2019-05-20|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-alphabet-exclusive-idUSKCN1SP0NB|title=Exclusive: Google suspends some business with Huawei after Trump...|date=2019-05-19|agency=Reuters|access-date=2019-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520153140/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-alphabet-exclusive-idUSKCN1SP0NB|archive-date=2019-05-20|url-status=live}} The next day, it was reported that Intel, Qualcomm, and Xilinx had stopped supplying components to Huawei.{{cite web|url=https://www.androidauthority.com/intel-qualcomm-huawei-988011/|title=Intel, Qualcomm join Google in cutting off business with Huawei|first=Hadlee|last=Simons|website=Android Authority|date=2019-05-20|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520084637/https://www.androidauthority.com/intel-qualcomm-huawei-988011/|archive-date=2019-05-20|url-status=live}}

On 16 May 2019, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant said Dutch intelligence agency AIVD had received a report about backdoors on Huawei equipment belonging to a Dutch carrier and was determining whether or not the situation allowed espionage by the Chinese government. Huawei denied allegations of spying. Dutch telecom operator KPN said the report was compiled for risk management and no supplier had unlimited access to its networks.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-huawei-tech-idUSKCN1SM0UY|title=Dutch spy agency investigating alleged Huawei 'backdoor': Volkskrant|date=May 16, 2019|work=Reuters.com|agency=Reuters|access-date=May 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522215248/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-huawei-tech-idUSKCN1SM0UY|archive-date=May 22, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2019, a report commissioned by the Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Cyber Security Centre, funded by the Australian government, alleged that a data center built by Huawei for the PNG government contained exploitable security flaws. "It is assessed with high confidence that data flows could be easily intercepted," said the 2019 report on PNG's National Data Centre. The report noted the layout of the data centre did not match the intended design, opening up major security gaps. The project was part of a US$147 million digital support package from China to PNG which is also funding a national broadband network. Huawei told the AFR that the data centre project "conforms to appropriate industry standards and customer requirements". The AFR says that the firewalls had already reached their end of life in 2016—two years before the centre became operational. The paper quotes the security report as saying: "The main switches are not behind the firewalls. This means that remote access would not be detected by the security settings within the appliances." Huawei responded that the project "complies with appropriate industry standards and the requirements of the customer."{{Cite news|title=Huawei data centre built to spy on PNG|first=Angus|last=Grigg|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/huawei-data-centre-built-to-spy-on-png-20200810-p55k7w|date=11 August 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|publisher=The Australian Financial Review}} The Government of Papua New Guinea has called the data centre a 'failed investment' and attempted to have the loan cancelled.{{Cite news|title=Huawei-built data centre a 'failed investment,' Papua New Guinea says|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-huawei-built-data-centre-a-failed-investment-papua-new-guinea-says/|access-date=22 November 2020|website=The Globe and Mail}}

In June 2020, the head of France's cybersecurity agency, the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d'information, stated that he would encourage telecom operators not to use Huawei equipment while not outright banning Huawei.{{cite web|last=Wintour|first=Patrick|date=2020-07-13|title=Europe divided on Huawei as US pressure to drop company grows|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jul/13/europe-divided-on-huawei-as-us-pressure-to-drop-company-grows|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222241/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jul/13/europe-divided-on-huawei-as-us-pressure-to-drop-company-grows|archive-date=2020-08-23|access-date=2020-08-23|website=The Guardian}}

On 28 August 2020, President Emmanuel Macron said, France will not formally exclude Chinese telecom giant Huawei for its upcoming 5G telecommunication networks, but favored European providers for security reasons.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/france-ban-huawei-favors-european-5g-systems-72688684|title=France won't ban Huawei but favors European 5G systems|access-date=28 August 2020|publisher=ABC News|location=United States}} However all Huawei components used in 5G networks would have to be phased out by 2028 placing a de facto ban on Huawei.{{cite web|last1=SHIRAISHI|first1=TOGO|title=France places de facto 5G ban on Huawei gear by 2028|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Huawei-crackdown/France-places-de-facto-5G-ban-on-Huawei-gear-by-2028|website=asia.nikkei.com|publisher=Nikkei|access-date=25 November 2020}}

On 15 April 2021, the Romanian government approved a law that aims to exclude Chinese group Huawei from the future 5G mobile network. According to the draft proposals, telecommunications companies may not be considered in Romania because of "risks, threats or vulnerabilities to national security".{{cite web|title=Romania approves law to potentially exclude Huawei from future 5G network|url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/04/16/romania-approves-law-to-potentially-exclude-huawei-from-future-5g-network|url-status=live|access-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416112347/https://www.euronews.com/2021/04/16/romania-approves-law-to-potentially-exclude-huawei-from-future-5g-network|archive-date=2021-04-16}}

On 15 August 2021, according to Engadget, Huawei was accused of pressuring an U.S. firm to install a data backdoor for a law enforcement safer-cities project in Lahore, Pakistan. The system supposedly gave Huawei access to a database that helped it collect sensitive citizen and government data "important to Pakistan's national security."{{cite web|title=Huawei accused of pressuring US firm into installing a data backdoor|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/huawei-contractor-pakistan-backdoor-194308607.html?guccounter=1|url-status=live|access-date=15 August 2021|publisher=Yahoo Finance|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817164253/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/huawei-contractor-pakistan-backdoor-194308607.html?guccounter=1|archive-date=2021-08-17}}

In December 2018, Arne Schönbohm, head of Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), stated that the country had not yet seen evidence that Huawei had used its equipment to conduct espionage on behalf of China.{{cite web|url=https://www.itwire.com/security/85652-german-it-watchdog-says-no-evidence-to-back-huawei-spying-claims.html|title=iTWire – German IT watchdog says no evidence to back Huawei spying claims|last=Varghese|first=Sam|website=IT Wire|access-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227040840/https://www.itwire.com/security/85652-german-it-watchdog-says-no-evidence-to-back-huawei-spying-claims.html|archive-date=27 December 2018|url-status=live}} That month, it was also reported that the Japanese government had ceased future procurement of Huawei and ZTE products.{{cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-ban-govt-use-of-huawei-zte-telecoms-products-say-reports|title=Japan to ban govt use of Huawei, ZTE telecoms products, say reports|last=hermes|date=8 December 2018|website=The Straits Times|access-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227040851/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-ban-govt-use-of-huawei-zte-telecoms-products-say-reports|archive-date=27 December 2018|url-status=live}}

The Czech Republic's cybersecurity agency issued a warning against Huawei and ZTE products, arguing that Chinese law required companies to "cooperate with intelligence services, therefore introducing them into the key state systems might present a threat". Huawei refuted the arguments, stating that it is not required to include backdoors in its products, nor has the company ever received any requests to do so. Shortly afterward, prime minister Andrej Babiš ordered that government offices cease using Huawei and ZTE products. However, the ban was reversed after the agency's claims were found to be without basis.{{cite news|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/czech-cyber-security-agency-warns-huawei-and-zte-products-pose-security-threat/|title=Czech cybersecurity agency warns Huawei and ZTE products pose security threat|last=Tung|first=Liam|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=30 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219012035/https://www.zdnet.com/article/czech-cyber-security-agency-warns-huawei-and-zte-products-pose-security-threat/|archive-date=19 December 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2179833/czech-prime-minister-hits-back-chinese-diplomats-huawei-claims|title=Czech prime minister hits back at Chinese Huawei claims|date=28 December 2018|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=30 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217080355/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2179833/czech-prime-minister-hits-back-chinese-diplomats-huawei-claims|archive-date=17 February 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/czech-government-reverses-ban-on-huawei--1274641|title=Czech government reverses ban on Huawei|website=Telecompaper|access-date=30 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130221215/https://www.telecompaper.com/news/czech-government-reverses-ban-on-huawei--1274641|archive-date=30 January 2019|url-status=live}}

Huawei commissioned attorneys of the London-based law firm Clifford Chance and Beijing-based law firm Zhong Lun to review two Chinese bills commonly cited in these allegations (the 2017 National Intelligence Law, and the 2014 Counter-Espionage Law). The review concluded that there was no such requirement in Chinese law for backdoors to be included in telecom equipment, and that the laws were directed more towards the actual operators of telecom services, and not extraterritorial. The review was published in a Wired opinion piece by Zhou Hanhua.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/law-expert-chinese-government-cant-force-huawei-make-backdoors/|title=Law Expert: Chinese Government Can't Force Huawei to Make Backdoors|last=Hanhua|first=Zhou|date=2019-03-04|magazine=Wired|access-date=2019-05-19|issn=1059-1028|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718224901/https://www.wired.com/story/law-expert-chinese-government-cant-force-huawei-make-backdoors/|archive-date=2019-07-18|url-status=live}} While Huawei has claimed the Clifford Chance review as "independent legal opinions", the review contains an explicit disclaimer from Clifford Chance that the material "should not be construed as constituting a legal opinion on the application of PRC law".{{cite web|author=Sinopsis, Jichang Lulu|url=https://sinopsis.cz/en/lawfare-by-proxy-huawei-touts-independent-legal-advice-by-a-ccp-member/|title=Lawfare by proxy: Huawei touts "independent" legal advice by a CCP member |publisher=Sinopsis.cz|date=2019-02-08|access-date=2022-03-30}} Follow up reporting from Wired cast doubt on these findings, particularly because the Chinese "government doesn't limit itself to what the law explicitly allows" when it comes to national security.{{cite magazine|last1=Simonite|first1=Tom|title=US LAWYERS DON'T BUY HUAWEI'S ARGUMENT ON CHINESE HACKING|url=https://www.wired.com/story/us-lawyers-dont-buy-huaweis-argument-chinese-hacking/|magazine=Wired|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603223837/https://www.wired.com/story/us-lawyers-dont-buy-huaweis-argument-chinese-hacking/|archive-date=3 June 2019|url-status=live}} "All Chinese citizens and organisations are obliged to cooperate upon request with PRC intelligence operations—and also maintain the secrecy of such operations", as explicitly stipulated in Article 7 of the 2017 PRC national intelligence-gathering activities law.

{{Further|Concerns over Chinese involvement in 5G wireless networks}}

Four members of the Five Eyes international intelligence alliance—Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the U.S.—have declared the use of Huawei telecommunications equipment, particularly in 5G networks, poses "significant security risks", while Canada is carrying out its own security review; only Britain is permitting the company to participate in the rollout of the new technology.{{cite news|title=Why has the UK not blocked Huawei?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46370014|access-date=28 November 2018|publisher=BBC News|date=28 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128191506/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46370014|archive-date=28 November 2018|url-status=live}} In late November 2018, the New Zealand signals intelligence agency Government Communications Security Bureau blocked telecommunications company Spark from using Huawei equipment in its planned 5G upgrade, claiming that it posed a "significant network security risk." The NZ ban followed a similar ban in Australia in August 2018.{{cite news|title=New Zealand halts Huawei from 5G upgrade over security fears|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12167860|access-date=29 November 2018|agency=Associated Press|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=29 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129042843/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12167860|archive-date=29 November 2018|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Huawei: NZ bars Chinese firm on national security fears|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46368001|access-date=29 November 2018|publisher=BBC News|date=28 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129044426/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46368001|archive-date=29 November 2018|url-status=live}}

In October 2018, BT Group announced that it had been phasing out Huawei equipment from "core" components of its wireless infrastructure (excluding parts such as phone mast antennas), including its 5G services,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46453425|title=BT bars Huawei kit from core of 5G network|date=5 December 2018|publisher=BBC News|access-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227052128/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46453425|archive-date=27 December 2018|url-status=live}} and the Emergency Services Network project.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46672550|title=Huawei's kit removed from police network|date=24 December 2018|publisher=BBC News|access-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226015332/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46672550|archive-date=26 December 2018|url-status=live}}

In December 2018, Gavin Williamson, the UK's Defence Secretary, expressed "grave" and "very deep concerns" about the company providing technology to upgrade Britain's services to 5G. He accused Beijing of acting "sometimes in a malign way". Alex Younger, the former head of MI6, also raised questions about Huawei's role.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46690627|title=BBC News: Huawei: 'Deep concerns' over firm's role in UK 5G upgrade|publisher=BBC News|access-date=27 December 2018|date=2018-12-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227034204/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46690627|archive-date=27 December 2018|url-status=live}}

On 11 January 2019, Poland announced that two people working on a 5G Huawei network had been arrested: Wang Weijing (a Huawei executive), and Piotr Durbajło, a consultant having worked for Polish domestic security, but currently working for Orange on 5G network testing.{{Cite news|last=Zhong|first=Raymond|date=2019-01-12|title=Huawei Fires Employee Arrested in Poland on Spying Charges|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/12/world/asia/huawei-wang-weijing-poland.html|access-date=2020-07-06|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2020-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706135946/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/12/world/asia/huawei-wang-weijing-poland.html|url-status=live}}

In November 2019, the Chinese ambassador to Denmark, in meetings with high-ranking Faroese politicians, directly linked Huawei's 5G expansion with Chinese trade, according to a sound recording obtained by Kringvarp Føroya. According to Berlingske, the ambassador threatened with dropping a planned trade deal with the Faroe Islands, if the Faroese telecom company Føroya Tele did not let Huawei build the national 5G network. Huawei said they did not knоw about the meetings.{{Cite news|url=https://www.berlingske.dk/internationalt/afsloering-kinas-ambassadoer-truede-faeroesk-leder-paa-moerklagt|title=Afsløring: Kinas ambassadør truede færøsk leder på mørklagt møde|last1=Kruse|first1=Simon|date=10 December 2019|work=Berlingske|access-date=10 December 2019|last2=Winther|first2=Lene|language=da|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210172021/https://www.berlingske.dk/internationalt/afsloering-kinas-ambassadoer-truede-faeroesk-leder-paa-moerklagt|archive-date=10 December 2019|url-status=live}}

In March 2019, the $200 million bid by TDC to install the 5G network in Denmark came down to Ericsson and Huawei. Huawei resubmitted their "final offer" that came in suspiciously below Ericsson's bid, which spurred investigators to look for a leak. They found suspicious behavior by a TDC mechanical engineer, long-range microphones installed in their company boardroom, a denial-of-service attack on their corporate network, surveillance of company employees, a break-in at a TDC executive's vacation home, and drones spying on meetings.{{Cite web|last=Robertson|first=Jordan|last2=Bennett|first2=Drake|date=2023-06-22|title=The hunt for a Huawei spy in the city of spires|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/the-hunt-for-a-huawei-spy-in-the-city-of-spires-20230616-p5dh6d|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629194350/https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/the-hunt-for-a-huawei-spy-in-the-city-of-spires-20230616-p5dh6d|archive-date=2023-06-29|access-date=2023-08-04|website=Australian Financial Review}}{{Cite web|date=2023-06-19|title=Huawei, Denmark and A$200 Million Battle Over 5G|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2023-06-19/huawei-denmark-and-a-200-million-battle-over-5g|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804100534/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2023-06-19/huawei-denmark-and-a-200-million-battle-over-5g|archive-date=2023-08-04|access-date=2023-08-04|publisher=Bloomberg News}}

In 2015, German cybersecurity company G Data Software alleged that phones from Huawei and several other Chinese manufacturers had been shipped with malware via infected versions of legitimate apps, that could record phone calls, access user data, and send premium SMS messages. A Huawei spokesperson told G Data these breaches were likely to have taken place further down the supply chain, outside the manufacturing process.{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2978120/bought-a-brand-new-phone-it-could-still-have-malware.html|title=Your brand new phone could still have malware|date=2015-09-01|website=PC World|access-date=2020-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425104443/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2978120/bought-a-brand-new-phone-it-could-still-have-malware.html|archive-date=2019-04-25|url-status=live}}

In January 2018, with the proposal of the Defending US Government Communications Act (which would ban the use of Huawei and ZTE products and equipment by U.S. government entities), calls for the FCC to investigate the company, as well as government pressure, it was reported that U.S. carrier AT&T had abruptly pulled out of an agreement to offer its Mate 10 Pro smartphone, while Verizon Communications had declined to carry any future Huawei products.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/30/16950122/verizon-refuses-huawei-phone-att-espionage-cybersecurity-fears|title=Verizon won't sell Huawei phones due to US government pressure, report says|work=The Verge|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419031459/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/30/16950122/verizon-refuses-huawei-phone-att-espionage-cybersecurity-fears|archive-date=19 April 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/8/16865592/att-huawei-mate-10-pro-ces-deal-off|title=AT&T pulls out of deal to sell Huawei phones in the US|work=The Verge|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418230508/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/8/16865592/att-huawei-mate-10-pro-ces-deal-off|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}

On 14 February 2018, heads of six U.S. intelligence agencies testified to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence against the use of Chinese telecom products by U.S. citizens, such as those of Huawei and ZTE. Christopher A. Wray, director of the FBI, stated that they were "deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don't share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks". Huawei responded to the allegations, arguing that its products "[pose] no greater cybersecurity risk than any ICT vendor, sharing as we do common global supply chains and production capabilities," and that it was "aware of a range of U.S. government activities seemingly aimed at inhibiting Huawei's business in the U.S. market".{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/13/chinas-hauwei-top-us-intelligence-chiefs-caution-americans-away.html|title=Six top US intelligence chiefs caution against buying Huawei phones|last=Salinas|first=Sara|date=13 February 2018|publisher=CNBC|access-date=15 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214211631/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/13/chinas-hauwei-top-us-intelligence-chiefs-caution-americans-away.html|archive-date=14 February 2018|url-status=live}} In March 2018, it was reported that Best Buy, the country's largest electronics store chain, would no longer sell Huawei products.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/22/17151186/best-buy-huawei-smartphone-china|title=Best Buy won't sell Huawei phones, laptops, or smartwatches anymore|work=The Verge|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322233921/https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/22/17151186/best-buy-huawei-smartphone-china|archive-date=22 March 2018|url-status=live}}

In May 2019 a Huawei Mediapad M5 belonging to a Canadian IT engineer living in Taiwan was found to be sending data to servers in China despite never being authorized to do so. The apps could not be disabled and continued to send sensitive data even after appearing to be deleted.{{cite web|last1=Everington|first1=Keoni|title=Huawei Mediapad M5 found to be snooping on engineer in Taiwan from China|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3697098|work=Taiwan News|date=8 May 2019|access-date=14 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512110219/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3697098|archive-date=12 May 2019|url-status=live}}

In July 2012, Felix Lindner and Gregor Kopf gave a conference at Defcon to announce that they uncovered several critical vulnerabilities in Huawei routers (models AR18 and AR29){{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9229785/Hackers_reveal_critical_vulnerabilities_in_Huawei_routers_at_Defcon|title=Hackers reveal critical vulnerabilities in Huawei routers at Defcon|work=Computerworld|access-date=30 July 2012|date=2012-07-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107194230/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9229785/Hackers_reveal_critical_vulnerabilities_in_Huawei_routers_at_Defcon|archive-date=7 November 2012|url-status=live}} which could be used to get remote access to the device. The researchers said that Huawei "doesn't have a security contact for reporting vulnerabilities, doesn't put out security advisories and doesn't say what bugs have been fixed in its firmware updates", and as a result, the vulnerabilities have not been publicly disclosed. Huawei replied that they were investigating the claims.{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57482813-83/expert-huawei-routers-are-riddled-with-vulnerabilities/|title=Expert: Huawei routers are riddled with vulnerabilities|publisher=CNET|access-date=31 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018204646/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57482813-83/expert-huawei-routers-are-riddled-with-vulnerabilities/|archive-date=18 October 2012|url-status=live}}

In January 2019, Huawei patched a security flaw that was discovered by Microsoft in the "PCManager" software bundled on its laptops, after detecting that the software used a driver with behavior similar to the DoublePulsar exploit.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/03/how-microsoft-found-a-huawei-driver-that-opened-systems-up-to-attack/|title=How Microsoft found a Huawei driver that opened systems to attack|last=Bright|first=Peter|date=2019-03-26|website=Ars Technica|access-date=2019-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404041820/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/03/how-microsoft-found-a-huawei-driver-that-opened-systems-up-to-attack/|archive-date=2019-04-04|url-status=live}}

In March 2019, the Oversight Board of United Kingdom government organization Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre found "serious and systematic defects" in Huawei software engineering and their cyber security competence, and cast doubt on Huawei's ability and competence to fix security problems that have been found, although they do not believe these flaws are caused by Chinese government interference.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/28/uk-report-blasts-huawei-for-network-security-incompetence/|title=UK report blasts Huawei for network security incompetence|website=Tech Crunch|last=Lomas|first=Natasha|date=2019-03-28|access-date=2019-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514202023/https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/28/uk-report-blasts-huawei-for-network-security-incompetence/|archive-date=2019-05-14|url-status=live}}

In October 2019 a person named John Wu presented details regarding Huawei's Undocumented APIs{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/@topjohnwu/huaweis-undocumented-apis-a-backdoor-to-reinstall-google-services-c3a5dd71a7cd|title=Huawei's Undocumented APIs – A Backdoor to Reinstall Google Services|last=Wu|first=John|date=2019-10-01|website=Medium|access-date=2019-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001193219/https://medium.com/@topjohnwu/huaweis-undocumented-apis-a-backdoor-to-reinstall-google-services-c3a5dd71a7cd|archive-date=2019-10-01|url-status=live}} which can poses security risk for Huawei clients (for example it let apps with Admin privileges install new system apps on the Mate 30). Those permissions are used by the "LZPlay" app to install the Google framework and services. Huawei has denied any involvement with the app or the "LZPlay" site.{{cite web|url=https://www.androidcentral.com/hidden-apis-huawei-mate-30-allow-backdoor-install-google-apps|title=Powerful hidden APIs in Huawei Mate 30 allow Google app installation|date=2019-10-01|website=Android Central|access-date=2019-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002065833/https://www.androidcentral.com/hidden-apis-huawei-mate-30-allow-backdoor-install-google-apps|archive-date=2019-10-02|url-status=live}}

In February 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported that Huawei has had the ability to covertly exploit backdoors intended for law enforcement officials since 2009. These backdoors are found on carrier equipment like antennas and routers. Huawei's equipment is widely used around the world due to its low cost.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/us-finds-huawei-has-backdoor-access-to-mobile-networks-globally-report-says/|title=US finds Huawei has backdoor access to mobile networks globally, report says|first=Corinne|last=Reichert|publisher=CNET|access-date=2020-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212104036/https://www.cnet.com/news/us-finds-huawei-has-backdoor-access-to-mobile-networks-globally-report-says/|archive-date=2020-02-12|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-officials-say-huawei-can-covertly-access-telecom-networks-11581452256|title=WSJ News Exclusive | U.S. Officials Say Huawei Can Covertly Access Telecom Networks|first=Bojan|last=Pancevski|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=February 12, 2020|access-date=February 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212112856/https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-officials-say-huawei-can-covertly-access-telecom-networks-11581452256|archive-date=February 12, 2020|url-status=live}}

In August 2018, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (NDAA 2019) was signed into law, containing a provision that banned Huawei and ZTE equipment from being used by the U.S. federal government, citing security concerns.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/13/17686310/huawei-zte-us-government-contractor-ban-trump|title=Trump signs bill banning government use of Huawei and ZTE tech|last=Kastrenakes|first=Jacob|date=2018-08-13|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529222201/https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/13/17686310/huawei-zte-us-government-contractor-ban-trump|archive-date=29 May 2019|url-status=live}} Huawei filed a lawsuit over the act in March 2019,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/business/huawei-united-states-trade-lawsuit.html|title=Huawei Sues U.S. Government Over What It Calls an Unfair Ban|last1=Mozur|first1=Paul|date=2019-03-06|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-04|last2=Ramzy|first2=Austin|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530075021/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/business/huawei-united-states-trade-lawsuit.html|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}} alleging it to be unconstitutional because it specifically targeted Huawei without granting it a chance to provide a rebuttal or due process.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/29/18644040/huawei-government-ban-lawsuit-policy-unconstitutional|title=Huawei is challenging its US contracting ban as unconstitutional|last=Lecher|first=Colin|date=2019-05-29|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529223618/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/29/18644040/huawei-government-ban-lawsuit-policy-unconstitutional|archive-date=29 May 2019|url-status=live}}

On 15 May 2019, the Department of Commerce added Huawei and 70 foreign subsidiaries and "affiliates" to its entity list under the Export Administration Regulations, citing the company having been indicted for "knowingly and willfully causing the export, re-export, sale and supply, directly and indirectly, of goods, technology and services (banking and other financial services) from the United States to Iran and the government of Iran without obtaining a license from the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)".{{cite web|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/21/2019-10616/addition-of-entities-to-the-entity-list|title=Addition of Entities to the Entity List|date=2019-05-21|website=Federal Register|access-date=2019-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608070718/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/21/2019-10616/addition-of-entities-to-the-entity-list|archive-date=8 June 2019|url-status=live}} This restricts U.S. companies from doing business with Huawei without a government license.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/18/its-not-just-huawei-trumps-new-tech-sector-order-could-ripple-through-global-supply-chains|title=It's not just Huawei. Trump's new tech sector order could ripple through global supply chains.|last=Webster|first=Graham|date=May 18, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520090639/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/18/its-not-just-huawei-trumps-new-tech-sector-order-could-ripple-through-global-supply-chains/|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=May 19, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/15/donald-trump-national-emergency-telecoms-threats-huawei|title=Huawei hits back over Trump's national emergency on telecoms 'threat'|location=Washington|first1=Lily|last1=Kuo|first2=Sabrina|last2=Siddiqui|date=2019-05-16|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-18|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520022052/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/15/donald-trump-national-emergency-telecoms-threats-huawei|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3010403/us-commerce-department-places-chinas-huawei-and-70-affiliates-trade|title=US places China's Huawei and 70 affiliates on trade blacklist|date=16 May 2019|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=22 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522073807/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3010403/us-commerce-department-places-chinas-huawei-and-70-affiliates-trade|archive-date=22 May 2019|url-status=live}}

Various U.S.-based companies immediately froze their business with Huawei to comply with the regulation,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/technology/google-android-huawei.html|title=U.S. Tech Suppliers, Including Google, Restrict Dealings With Huawei After Trump Order|last1=Satariano|first1=Adam|date=2019-05-20|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-28|last2=Zhong|first2=Raymond|issn=0362-4331|last3=Wakabayashi|first3=Daisuke|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527021957/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/technology/google-android-huawei.html|archive-date=27 May 2019|url-status=live}} including Google—which removes its ability to certify future devices and updates for the Android operating system with licensed Google Mobile Services (GMS) such as Google Play Store,{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/google-reportedly-ends-business-with-huawei-will-cut-it-off-from-play-store/|title=Google reportedly ends business with Huawei, will cut it off from Play Store [Updated]|last=Amadeo|first=Ron|date=2019-05-20|website=Ars Technica|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520225132/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/google-reportedly-ends-business-with-huawei-will-cut-it-off-from-play-store/|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}} as well as Broadcom, Intel, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Xilinx{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-19/google-to-end-some-huawei-business-ties-after-trump-crackdown|title=Top U.S. Tech Companies Begin to Cut Off Vital Huawei Supplies|date=19 May 2019|publisher=Bloomberg News|access-date=8 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608083639/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-19/google-to-end-some-huawei-business-ties-after-trump-crackdown|archive-date=8 June 2019|url-status=live}} and Western Digital. The German chipmaker Infineon Technologies also voluntarily suspended its business with Huawei, pending "assessments".{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/19/18631558/google-huawei-android-suspension|title=Google pulls Huawei's Android license, forcing it to use open source version|last=Sottek|first=T. C.|date=2019-05-19|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520153127/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/19/18631558/google-huawei-android-suspension|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-alphabet-exclusive-idUSKCN1SP0NB|title=Exclusive: Google suspends some business with Huawei after Trump...|date=2019-05-19|agency=Reuters|access-date=2019-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520153140/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-alphabet-exclusive-idUSKCN1SP0NB|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/19/18632075/intel-qualcomm-huawei-ban-us-chipmakers-report|title=Intel, Qualcomm, and other chipmakers reportedly join Google in Huawei ban|last=Savov|first=Vlad|date=2019-05-19|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520124252/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/19/18632075/intel-qualcomm-huawei-ban-us-chipmakers-report|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}} It was reported that Huawei did have a limited "stockpile" of U.S.-sourced parts, obtained prior to the sanctions.{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3010507/huaweis-day-reckoning-arrives-it-has-been-preparing-almost-year|title=Huawei's day of reckoning arrives – will its preparations pay off?|date=2019-05-16|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=2019-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523005103/https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3010507/huaweis-day-reckoning-arrives-it-has-been-preparing-almost-year|archive-date=23 May 2019|url-status=live}}

On 17 May 2019, Huawei voluntarily suspended its membership to JEDEC, as a temporary measure, "until the restrictions imposed by the U.S. government are removed".{{cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Huawei-crackdown/Huawei-s-voice-in-future-tech-standards-restricted|title=Huawei's voice in future tech standards restricted|website=Nikkei Asian Review|access-date=2019-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526132009/https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Huawei-crackdown/Huawei-s-voice-in-future-tech-standards-restricted|archive-date=26 May 2019|url-status=live}} Speaking to Chinese media, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei accused U.S. politicians of underestimating the company's strength, and explained that "in terms of 5G technologies, others won't be able to catch up with Huawei in two or three years. We have sacrificed ourselves and our families for our ideal, to stand on top of the world. To reach this ideal, sooner or later there will be conflict with the US."{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/21/there-will-be-conflict-huawei-founder-says-us-underestimates-companys-strength|title='There will be conflict': Huawei founder says US underestimates company's strength|date=2019-05-21|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-21|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521050534/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/21/there-will-be-conflict-huawei-founder-says-us-underestimates-companys-strength|archive-date=21 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48345742|title=US 'underestimates' Huawei, founder says|date=21 May 2019|publisher=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522185623/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48345742|archive-date=22 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/21/18634240/microsoft-huawei-matebook-x-pro-laptop-store-windows-ban-no-comment|title=Microsoft removes Huawei laptop from store, remains silent on potential Windows ban|first=Tom|last=Warren|date=21 May 2019|website=The Verge|access-date=22 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521231532/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/21/18634240/microsoft-huawei-matebook-x-pro-laptop-store-windows-ban-no-comment|archive-date=21 May 2019|url-status=live}}

Kevin Wolf, an international trade lawyer and former assistant secretary of commerce for export administration during the Obama administration, argued that Huawei could not even use the open source Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code, as it could fall under U.S. trade regulations as technology of U.S. origin because Google is the majority developer.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/06/huaweis-export-ban-is-wider-in-scope-than-most-people-imagine/|title=Huawei's export ban is wider in scope than most people imagine|first=Ron|last=Amadeo|date=June 10, 2019|website=Ars Technica|access-date=16 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612183256/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/06/huaweis-export-ban-is-wider-in-scope-than-most-people-imagine/|archive-date=12 June 2019|url-status=live}} In China, it is normal for Android phones (including those of Huawei) to not include Google Play Store or GMS, as Google does not do business in the region. Phones are typically bundled with an AOSP-based distribution built around an OEM's own software suite, including either a first-party app store run by the OEM (such as Huawei's own AppGallery) or a third-party service.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/17/17988564/chinese-phone-software-android-iphone-copy-ui|title=How China rips off the iPhone and reinvents Android|last=Byford|first=Sam|date=2018-10-17|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705210905/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/17/17988564/chinese-phone-software-android-iphone-copy-ui|archive-date=5 July 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_app_store_appgallery-news-30412.php|title=Huawei makes its own app store global|website=GSMArena.com|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527071646/https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_app_store_appgallery-news-30412.php|archive-date=27 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/20/18632266/huawei-android-google-ban-phone-business-future|title=Huawei's phone business would be decimated without Google's Android|last=Savov|first=Vlad|date=2019-05-20|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521154514/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/20/18632266/huawei-android-google-ban-phone-business-future|archive-date=21 May 2019|url-status=live}}

Google issued a statement assuring that user access to Google Play on existing Huawei devices would not be disrupted. Huawei made a similar pledge of continued support for existing devices, including security patches, but did not make any statements regarding the availability of future Android versions (such as Android 10).{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/19/google-huawei-trump-blacklist-report|title=Google blocks Huawei access to Android updates after blacklisting|last1=Badshah|first1=Nadeem|date=2019-05-20|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-20|last2=Kuo|first2=Lily|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520151410/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/may/19/google-huawei-trump-blacklist-report|archive-date=20 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/20/huawei-responds-android/|title=Huawei responds to Android ban with service and security guarantees, but its future is unclear|website=TechCrunch|date=20 May 2019|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222212/https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/20/huawei-responds-android/|url-status=live}} On 19 May 2019, the Department of Commerce granted Huawei a temporary, three-month license to continue doing business with U.S. companies for the purposes of maintaining its existing smartphone and telecom products without interruption, whilst long-term solutions are determined.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-usa-license-idUSKCN1SQ27T|title=U.S. eases curbs on Huawei; founder says clampdown underestimates Chinese firm|date=2019-05-22|agency=Reuters|access-date=2019-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526195329/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-usa-license-idUSKCN1SQ27T|archive-date=26 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-to-temporarily-continue-work-with-huawei-after-us-eases-restrictions/|title=Google revives Huawei work temporarily after US eases restrictions|last=Nieva|first=Richard|publisher=CNET|access-date=2019-05-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523163207/https://www.cnet.com/news/google-to-temporarily-continue-work-with-huawei-after-us-eases-restrictions/|archive-date=23 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/how-huawei-might-handle-latest-us-sanctions/|title=How Huawei Might Handle the Latest US Sanctions|last=Finley|first=Klint|date=21 May 2019|magazine=Wired|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522011856/https://www.wired.com/story/how-huawei-might-handle-latest-us-sanctions/|archive-date=22 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/google-and-huawei-can-support-devices-for-90-days-thanks-to-us-ban-exemption/|title=The US DOC gives Huawei a 90-day window to support existing devices|last=Amadeo|first=Ron|date=21 May 2019|website=Ars Technica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522213136/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/google-and-huawei-can-support-devices-for-90-days-thanks-to-us-ban-exemption/|archive-date=22 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2019}}

On 22 May 2019, Arm Holdings also suspended its business with Huawei, including all "active contracts, support entitlements, and any pending engagements". Although it is a Japanese-owned company based in the UK, Arm cited that its intellectual property contained technologies of U.S. origin that it believed were covered under the Department of Commerce order. This prevents Huawei from manufacturing chips that use the ARM architecture.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/22/18635326/huawei-arm-chip-designs-business-suspension|title=ARM cuts ties with Huawei, threatening future chip designs|last=Warren|first=Tom|date=2019-05-22|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522123640/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/22/18635326/huawei-arm-chip-designs-business-suspension|archive-date=22 May 2019|url-status=live}} It was also reported that several Asian wireless carriers, including Japan's SoftBank and KDDI, and Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Mobile, had suspended the sale of upcoming Huawei devices such as the P30 Lite, citing uncertainties over the effects of the U.S. sanctions on the availability of the Android platform. NTT docomo similarly suspended pre-orders of new Huawei phones, without citing any reasoning.{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/japan-telcos-pull-back-sale-of-new-huawei-smartphones/|title=Japan telcos pull back sale of new Huawei smartphones|last=Yu|first=Eileen|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=2019-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611211130/https://www.zdnet.com/article/japan-telcos-pull-back-sale-of-new-huawei-smartphones/|archive-date=11 June 2019|url-status=live}}

On 23 May 2019, it was reported that the SD Association had removed Huawei from its list of members—implicating a revocation of its membership to the association.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/24/18638539/huawei-microsd-card-sd-association-us-trump-ban|title=Huawei can't officially use microSD cards in its phones going forward|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=2019-05-24|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525004417/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/24/18638539/huawei-microsd-card-sd-association-us-trump-ban|archive-date=25 May 2019|url-status=live}} The same day, Toshiba briefly suspended all shipments to Huawei, as a temporary measure while determining whether or not they were selling U.S. made components or technologies to Huawei.{{cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Huawei-crackdown/Toshiba-resumes-shipments-to-Huawei-after-brief-suspension|title=Toshiba resumes shipments to Huawei after brief suspension|website=Nikkei Asian Review|access-date=2019-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525004414/https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Huawei-crackdown/Toshiba-resumes-shipments-to-Huawei-after-brief-suspension|archive-date=25 May 2019|url-status=live}} Panasonic also stated that it had determined its business relationship to be in compliance with U.S. law, and would not suspend it.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48375411|title=Panasonic examines Huawei relationship|date=2019-05-23|access-date=2019-05-28|publisher=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527033731/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48375411|archive-date=27 May 2019|url-status=live}} The next day, the Wi-Fi Alliance also "temporarily restricted" Huawei's membership.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-gets-double-bad-news-from-sd-association-and-wi-fi-alliance/|title=Huawei gets double bad news from SD Association and Wi-Fi Alliance|last=Gonzalez|first=Oscar|publisher=CNET|access-date=2019-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528163040/https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-gets-double-bad-news-from-sd-association-and-wi-fi-alliance/|archive-date=28 May 2019|url-status=live}}

On 24 May 2019, Huawei told Reuters that FedEx attempted to divert two packages sent from Japan and addressed to Huawei in China to the United States, and tried to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to Huawei offices elsewhere in Asia, all without their authorization. At first, FedEx China claimed that "media reports are not true". On May 28, however, they apologized on their Chinese social media account for the fact that "a small number of Huawei shipments were misrouted", and claimed that "there are no external parties that require FedEx to ship these shipments".{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-fedex-exclusive-idUSKCN1SX1RZ|title=Exclusive: Huawei reviewing FedEx relationship, says packages...|date=2019-05-28|agency=Reuters|access-date=2019-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530015204/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-tech-fedex-exclusive-idUSKCN1SX1RZ|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3012162/fedex-apologises-huawei-re-routing-packages-us|title=FedEx apologises to Huawei for re-routing packages to the US|date=2019-05-28|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=2019-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529221737/https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3012162/fedex-apologises-huawei-re-routing-packages-us|archive-date=29 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://tech.sina.com.cn/t/2019-05-28/doc-ihvhiews5249686.shtml|title=华为：已向中国邮政监管部门正式投诉|last=央视|date=2019-05-28|publisher=Sina Corp|access-date=2019-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528203616/http://tech.sina.com.cn/t/2019-05-28/doc-ihvhiews5249686.shtml|archive-date=28 May 2019|url-status=live}}

On 29 May 2019, it was reported that Huawei was once again listed as member of JEDEC, the SD Association, and Wi-Fi Alliance.{{cite web|url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/29/huawei-ejected-from-wi-fi-alliance-sd-association-and-other-standards-groups/|title=[Update: Huawei's back in] Huawei ejected from Wi-Fi Alliance, SD Association, and other standards groups|date=2019-05-29|website=Android Police|access-date=2019-05-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529223850/https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/29/huawei-ejected-from-wi-fi-alliance-sd-association-and-other-standards-groups/|archive-date=29 May 2019|url-status=live}} In addition, while the science organization IEEE had initially banned Huawei employees from peer-reviewing papers or handling papers as editors on 30 May 2019, citing legal concerns, that ban was also revoked on 3 June 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-ban-revoked-by-science-publisher-ieee/|title=Huawei ban revoked by science publisher IEEE|last=Keane|first=Sean|publisher=CNET|access-date=2019-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608065443/https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-ban-revoked-by-science-publisher-ieee/|archive-date=8 June 2019|url-status=live}}

On 31 May 2019, it was reported that Huawei had temporarily stopped its smartphone production lines.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/05/31/huawei-cuts-smartphone-production-lines-after-blacklisting-reports-claim/|title=Huawei Stops Smartphone Production Lines After Blacklisting, Report Claims|first=Zak|last=Doffman|website=Forbes|access-date=26 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806024851/https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/05/31/huawei-cuts-smartphone-production-lines-after-blacklisting-reports-claim/|archive-date=6 August 2019|url-status=live}} On 17 June 2019, it was reported that Huawei was preparing for a sales drop of US$30 Billion, selling 40 million to 60 million smartphones less than last year in overseas markets.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/06/17/huawei-may-pull-honor-20-and-fears-40-60-drop-in-smartphone-sales-report-claims/|title=Huawei Confirms $30 Billion Revenue Hit As Smartphone Sales Drop 40-60% (Updated)|first=Zak|last=Doffman|website=Forbes|access-date=26 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926035431/https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/06/17/huawei-may-pull-honor-20-and-fears-40-60-drop-in-smartphone-sales-report-claims/|archive-date=26 September 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=June 16, 2019|title=Huawei Braces for Phone Sales Drop of Up to 60 Million Overseas|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-16/huawei-braces-for-a-steep-drop-in-overseas-smartphone-sales|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310022843/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-16/huawei-braces-for-a-steep-drop-in-overseas-smartphone-sales|archive-date=10 March 2020|access-date=6 January 2020|publisher=Bloomberg News}}

On 29 June 2019 at the G20 summit, Trump and Chinese president and general secretary Xi Jinping agreed to resume trade negotiations. Trump made statements implicating plans to ease the restrictions on U.S. companies doing business with Huawei, explaining that they had sold a "tremendous amount of products" to the company, that they "were not exactly happy that they couldn't sell", and that he was referring to "equipment where there's no great national security problem with it." BBC News considered this move to be a "significant concession".{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/president-trump-lifts-us-ban-on-huawei-at-g20-summit/|title=President Trump lifts US ban on Huawei at G20 summit|last=Miller|first=Matthew|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=2019-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630193801/https://www.zdnet.com/article/president-trump-lifts-us-ban-on-huawei-at-g20-summit/|archive-date=30 June 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-48810070|title=US and China agree to restart trade talks|date=2019-06-29|access-date=2019-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629193852/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-48810070|archive-date=29 June 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/g20-june-2019-intl-hnk#h_6f86ba7a80e65af7ce7ab2984e5058c7|title=Trump appears to soften his tone on Huawei|date=2019-06-29|publisher=CNN|access-date=2019-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629191749/https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/g20-june-2019-intl-hnk/h_6f86ba7a80e65af7ce7ab2984e5058c7|archive-date=29 June 2019|url-status=live}}

On 25 October 2019, Arm Holdings stated that it would continue to allow Huawei to license its technology, as it determined that its recent architectures were sufficiently considered to be of British origin and not subject to the sanctions.{{cite web|title=ARM will continue to license chip architecture to Huawei after all|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/25/20932096/arm-license-chip-architecture-huawei-trump-trade-ban-uk-us|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=2019-10-25|website=The Verge|access-date=2020-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191126100528/https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/25/20932096/arm-license-chip-architecture-huawei-trump-trade-ban-uk-us|archive-date=26 November 2019|url-status=live}}

On 15 May 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce extended its export restrictions to bar Huawei from producing semiconductors derived from technology or software of U.S. origin, even if the manufacturing is performed overseas.{{cite web|title=US moves to cut off Huawei from overseas chip manufacturers|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/15/21259814/us-commerce-huawei-chip-manufacturers-5g|last=Lyons|first=Kim|date=2020-05-15|website=The Verge|access-date=2020-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515171212/https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/15/21259814/us-commerce-huawei-chip-manufacturers-5g|archive-date=15 May 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=U.S.-China tensions rise as Trump administration moves to cut Huawei off from global chip suppliers|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/15/us-china-tensions-rise-as-trump-administration-moves-to-cut-huawei-off-from-global-chip-suppliers.html|date=2020-05-15|publisher=CNBC|access-date=2020-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515153150/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/15/us-china-tensions-rise-as-trump-administration-moves-to-cut-huawei-off-from-global-chip-suppliers.html|archive-date=15 May 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Commerce Addresses Huawei's Efforts to Undermine Entity List, Restricts Products Designed and Produced with U.S. Technologies|url=https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2020/05/commerce-addresses-huaweis-efforts-undermine-entity-list-restricts|website=U.S. Department of Commerce|access-date=2020-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515131503/https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2020/05/commerce-addresses-huaweis-efforts-undermine-entity-list-restricts|archive-date=15 May 2020|url-status=live}}

During the sanctions, it was noted that Huawei had been working on its own in-house operating system codenamed "HongMeng OS": in an interview with Die Welt, executive Richard Yu stated that an in-house OS could be used as a "plan B" if it were prevented from using Android or Windows as the result of U.S. action, but that he would "prefer to work with the ecosystems of Google and Microsoft". Efforts to develop an in-house OS at Huawei date back as far as 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3001685/huawei-confirms-it-has-built-its-own-operating-system-just-case-us|title=Huawei confirms it has its own OS on back shelf as a plan B|date=14 March 2019|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=21 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521023511/https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3001685/huawei-confirms-it-has-built-its-own-operating-system-just-case-us|archive-date=21 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/14/18265646/huawei-operating-systems-android-windows-ban|title=Huawei developed its own operating systems in case it's banned from using Android and Windows|last=Faulkner|first=Cameron|date=14 March 2019|website=The Verge|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525004428/https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/14/18265646/huawei-operating-systems-android-windows-ban|archive-date=25 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/15/huawei-has-built-its-own-operating-system-for-smartphones-laptops.html|title=Huawei built software for smartphones and laptops in case it can't use Microsoft or Google|last=Kharpal|first=Arjun|date=15 March 2019|publisher=CNBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522193246/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/15/huawei-has-built-its-own-operating-system-for-smartphones-laptops.html|archive-date=22 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2019}} Huawei filed trademarks for the names "Ark", "Ark OS", and "Harmony" in Europe, which were speculated to be connected to this OS.{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/huawei-may-be-building-an-ark-os-as-it-prepares-for-life-after-android|title=Huawei may be building an Ark (OS) as it prepares for life after Android|last=phones|first=John McCann 2019-05-28T09:07:56Z Mobile|website=TechRadar|date=28 May 2019|access-date=2019-05-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529223849/https://www.techradar.com/news/huawei-may-be-building-an-ark-os-as-it-prepares-for-life-after-android|archive-date=29 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2019/07/15/huawei-wants-to-name-its-android-os-replacement-harmony-in-europe/|title=Huawei wants to name its Android OS replacement 'Harmony' in Europe|last=Lakshmanan|first=Ravie|date=2019-07-15|website=The Next Web|access-date=2019-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716221920/https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2019/07/15/huawei-wants-to-name-its-android-os-replacement-harmony-in-europe/|archive-date=16 July 2019|url-status=live}}

In June 2019, Huawei communications VP Andrew Williamson told Reuters that the company was testing HongMeng in China, and that it could be ready "in months". However, in July 2019, chairman Liang Hua and senior vice president Catherine Chen stated that Hongmeng OS was not actually intended as a mobile operating system for smartphones, and was actually an embedded operating system designed for Internet of things (IoT) hardware.{{cite web|url=https://technode.com/2019/07/12/huawei-chairman-android-remains-our-first-choice/|title=Android remains our 'first choice': Huawei chairman|date=2019-07-12|website=TechNode|access-date=2019-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719185147/https://technode.com/2019/07/12/huawei-chairman-android-remains-our-first-choice/|archive-date=19 July 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-says-hongmeng-os-isnt-designed-as-android-replacement/|title=Huawei says Hongmeng OS isn't designed as an Android replacement|last=Keane|first=Sean|publisher=CNET|access-date=2019-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719184715/https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-says-hongmeng-os-isnt-designed-as-android-replacement/|archive-date=19 July 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/19/20700411/huawei-hongmeng-os-android-replacement-not|title=Huawei says its Hongmeng OS isn't an Android replacement after all|last=Byford|first=Sam|date=2019-07-19|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719100812/https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/19/20700411/huawei-hongmeng-os-android-replacement-not|archive-date=19 July 2019|url-status=live}}

On 19 August 2019, the BIS added 46 "non-U.S. affiliates of Huawei to the Entity List because they also pose a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States."{{cite web|title=Addition of Certain Entities to the Entity List and Revision of Entries on the Entity List|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/08/21/2019-17921/addition-of-certain-entities-to-the-entity-list-and-revision-of-entries-on-the-entity-list|publisher=Federal Register – Industry and Security Bureau|date=21 July 2019|access-date=13 June 2020|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615181121/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/08/21/2019-17921/addition-of-certain-entities-to-the-entity-list-and-revision-of-entries-on-the-entity-list|url-status=live}}

In September 2019, Huawei began offering the Chinese Linux distribution Deepin as an optional pre-loaded operating system on selected Matebook models in China, as an alternative to Windows.{{cite web|url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/huawei-selling-matebook-laptops-with-linux-preinstalled-to-consumers-in-china/|title=Huawei selling MateBook laptops with Linux preinstalled to consumers in China|website=TechRepublic|date=12 September 2019|access-date=2019-09-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913022220/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/huawei-selling-matebook-laptops-with-linux-preinstalled-to-consumers-in-china/|archive-date=13 September 2019|url-status=live}}

In September 2019, Microsoft's top lawyer and president Brad Smith expressed concern about the continued U.S. ban of Huawei products and services. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, he remarked that the ban should not be imposed without a "sound basis in fact, logic, and the rule of law". Microsoft Corporation, which supplies Windows 10 for Huawei PCs, says the allegations by the Trump administration that Huawei is a genuine national security threat to the U.S. are not supported by any evidence.Tung, L. (Sept. 2019). [https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-top-lawyer-trumps-huawei-ban-makes-no-sense/ "Microsoft's top lawyer: Trump's Huawei ban makes no sense"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303092907/https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-top-lawyer-trumps-huawei-ban-makes-no-sense/ |date=3 March 2020 }}. ZDNet. Retrieved January 1st, 2020.

Huawei has been alleged to play a role in the Chinese government's persecution of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/world/asia/china-surveillance-xinjiang.html|title=How China Uses High-Tech Surveillance to Subdue Minorities|first1=Chris|last1=Buckley|first2=Paul|last2=Mozur|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 22, 2019|access-date=May 25, 2020|archive-date=November 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191125180459/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/world/asia/china-surveillance-xinjiang.html|url-status=live}} and other ethnic and religious groups. It is also alleged to have forced labour by Uyghurs in its supply chain.{{Cite news|last1=Yang|first1=Yuan|last2=Shepherd|first2=Christian|date=March 2020|title=Xinjiang forced labour reported in multinational supply chains|newspaper=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8912445a-5bd3-11ea-8033-fa40a0d65a98|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=2020-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505103837/https://www.ft.com/content/8912445a-5bd3-11ea-8033-fa40a0d65a98|archive-date=2020-05-05}}

On 15 June 2020, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the country will impose VISA restrictions on Huawei employees as the Chinese company Huawei, provides material support to the Chinese government in carrying human rights abuses.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/507443-us-announces-sanctions-on-huawei-citing-human-rights-abuses|title=US announces sanctions on Huawei, citing human rights abuses|access-date=15 July 2020|website=The Hill|date=15 July 2020|archive-date=23 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823221956/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/507443-us-announces-sanctions-on-huawei-citing-human-rights-abuses|url-status=live}}

In December 2020, it was reported that Huawei assisted in creating facial recognition software for identifying Uyghurs.{{Cite news|last1=Harwell|first1=Drew|last2=Dou|first2=Eva|date=December 8, 2020|title=Huawei tested AI software that could recognize Uighur minorities and alert police, report says|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/12/08/huawei-tested-ai-software-that-could-recognize-uighur-minorities-alert-police-report-says/|access-date=2020-12-09|issn=0190-8286}} Later in the same month, French footballer Antoine Griezmann formally cut ties with the company, citing "strong suspicions that Huawei has contributed to the development of a 'Uighur alert{{'"}}.{{Cite news|date=December 11, 2020|title=Football star Griezmann severs ties with Huawei over Uighurs|publisher=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55265989|access-date=2020-12-13}} In response to this criticism, Huawei did not deny the existence of Uyghur recognition, instead referring to such software as "a test" that had "not seen real-world application."{{Cite news|date=December 8, 2020|title=Huawei / Megvii Uyghur Alarms|work=IPVM|url=https://ipvm.com/reports/huawei-megvii-uygur|access-date=2021-03-18}} These claims have been contested however, as they rely solely on a single line in one of Huawei's patents, which due to the nature of Mandarin can be ambiguously translated. The patent reads "持离线文件维族告警", one possible translation of which is "support offline file Uyghur alert". However, as the line is found in a section of the patent detailing exception handling and file processing, another possible and potentially more accurate translation is "support exception handling for offline file grouping", wherein "维族" (Uighurs) is read separately as "维" (maintain) and "族" (ethnic group).{{cite web|title=Huawei video cloud solution and dynamic face recognition system interoperability: Test report|url=https://d1tzzns6d79su2.cloudfront.net/uploads/embedded_file/7a5c7231788844c43cdabae1aaea8340a138bff47e5a69c60c48ea9b49f5381b/8ece7111-f067-4545-ab0c-49146d51391e.pdf|access-date=2021-01-13|website=}}

Huawei claims to be a privately held, employee-owned company: founder Ren Zhengfei retains approximately 1 percent of the shares of Huawei's holding company, Huawei Investment & Holding, with the remainder of the shares held by a trade union committee that also provides services for its staff. This is also due to a limitation in Chinese law preventing limited liability companies from having more than 50 shareholders (the employees' interest is treated as a single share via the union). Although employee shareholders receive dividends, their shares do not entitle them to any direct influence in management decisions. Ren has the power to veto any decision made by the board of directors.{{Cite journal|last1=Clarke|first1=Donald C.|last2=Balding|first2=Christopher|date=2019-04-17|title=Who Owns Huawei?|location=Rochester, NY|doi=10.2139/ssrn.3372669|ssrn=3372669|s2cid=169597283}}

A 2019 research paper published by Donald Clarke of George Washington University and Christopher Balding of Fulbright University Vietnam accused Huawei of being "effectively state-owned" due to this structure "if the trade union and its committee function as trade unions generally function in China" (being required to be associated with a labor federation tied to the Chinese Communist Party). They also claimed that the arrangement was only a profit-sharing arrangement and not actual ownership. Chief secretary of the board Jiang Xisheng disputed the paper, stating that its authors had "an incomplete understanding of Huawei's corporate policies and a limited knowledge of its ownership structure". Spalding defended the research, telling The Nikkei that "believing Huawei would defy Beijing defies credibility. With the Communist Party actively overseeing and enforcing regulations and state interests abroad, it simply does not match the facts of Chinese interest in promoting companies and interests abroad that Huawei could refuse to assist if asked."{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/technology/who-owns-huawei.html|title=Who Owns Huawei? The Company Tried to Explain. It Got Complicated.|last=Zhong|first=Raymond|date=2019-04-25|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-19|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523005541/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/technology/who-owns-huawei.html|archive-date=2019-05-23|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Huawei-hits-out-at-claims-of-state-control-through-employee-stake2|title=Huawei hits out at claims of state control through 'employee' stake|website=Nikkei Asian Review|access-date=2019-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519102755/https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Huawei-hits-out-at-claims-of-state-control-through-employee-stake2|archive-date=2019-05-19|url-status=live}}

Some Huawei employees initiated legal challenges against the company regarding the employee stock for the year 2003 on a Chinese court, however both the Shenzhen city Intermediate people's court and the Guangdong province High people's court ruled that their stock ownership are for reference only and there are no legal basis to employees' claims on their ownership of Huawei's stock.{{cite web|url=http://www.yunfawu.cn/web/about/acticle/id/24.html|title=华为虚拟股权激励法律解析-云法务|website=yunfawu.cn|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222224/http://www.yunfawu.cn/web/about/acticle/id/24.html|url-status=live}}

On 7 October 2020, the U.K. Parliament's Defence Committee released a report claiming that there was evidence of collusion between Huawei and Chinese state and the Chinese Communist Party. The U.K. Parliament's Defence Committee said that the conclusion was evidenced by Huawei's ownership model and government subsidies it had received.{{cite news|last1=Corera|first1=Gordon|title=Huawei: MPs claim 'clear evidence of collusion' with Chinese Communist Party|publisher=BBC News|date=7 October 2020|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54455112|access-date=7 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014044835/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54455112|archive-date=14 October 2020}}

A United States Army Strategic Studies Institute report on Argentina published in September 2007 describes Huawei as "known to bribe and trap clients". The report details unfair business practices, such as customers framed by "full-paid trips" to China and monetary "presents" offered and later used by Huawei as "a form of extortion".{{cite web|url=http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB806.pdf|title=China's expansion into and U.S. withdrawal from Argentina's telecommunications and space industries and the implications for U.S. national security|last=Hulse|first=Janie|date=September 2007|publisher=United States Army|access-date=10 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809105124/http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB806.pdf|archive-date=9 August 2011|url-status=dead}}

According to a WikiLeaks cable, in 2006, Michael Joseph, then-CEO of Safaricom Ltd, allegedly struggled to cancel a contract with Huawei due to poor after-sales experience, after which the Kenyan government pressured him to reinstate the contract.{{cite news|url=http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=205161|title=WikiLeaks Cable Casts Dim Light on Huawei|last=Le Maistre|first=Ray|date=3 March 2011|work=lightreading.com|publisher=Light Reading Asia|access-date=10 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810140311/http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=205161|archive-date=10 August 2011|url-status=live}} When questioned regarding this incident, Joseph replied, "It [the cable] is not a reflection of the truth as evidenced by Safaricom being a major purchaser of Huawei products including all 3G, switching and the recent OCS billing system upgraded over the weekend."{{cite news|title=Wikileaks exposes US jitters over tender awards to China|url=http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Wikileaks+exposes+US+jitters+over+tender+awards+to+China/-/539546/1117866/-/view/printVersion/-/11j6ba/-/index.html|newspaper=Business Daily Africa|date=March 2011|access-date=10 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404075618/http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Wikileaks+exposes+US+jitters+over+tender+awards+to+China/-/539546/1117866/-/view/printVersion/-/11j6ba/-/index.html|archive-date=4 April 2012|url-status=live}}

In May 2010, it was reported in The Times of India, that security agencies in India became suspicious of Chinese Huawei employees after learning that Indian employees allegedly did not have access to part of Huawei's Bangalore research and development (R&D) office building.{{Cite news|url=https://gadgetsnow.indiatimes.com/tech-news/huawei-technologies-bans-indians-in-india/articleshow/5897475.cms|title=Huawei Technologies bans Indians in India|date=6 May 2010|access-date=15 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928091105/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-05-06/telecom/28316060_1_huawei-india-security-agencies-r-d-facility|archive-date=28 September 2012|website=The Times of India|url-status=live}} Huawei responded that the company employs over 2,000 Indian engineers and just 30 Chinese engineers in the R&D center in Bangalore, and "both Indian and Chinese staff have equal access rights to all our information assets and facilities".{{cite news|title=Huawei invites Govt to inspect India offices|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/05/13/stories/2010051351160700.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204024123/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/05/13/stories/2010051351160700.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 February 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=13 May 2010|access-date=10 October 2011}} According to The Times of India, the intelligence agencies also noted that Chinese employees of Huawei had extended their stay in Bangalore for many months. Huawei stated that many of these employees were on one-and-a-half-year international assignments to serve as a technical bridge between in-market teams and China, and that "all the Chinese employees had valid visas and did not overstay".{{cite news|title=No secret tests at Huawei facility, says company|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/No-secret-tests-at-Huawei-facility-says-company/articleshow/5923142.cms|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=12 May 2010|access-date=10 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625072925/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/No-secret-tests-at-Huawei-facility-says-company/articleshow/5923142.cms|archive-date=25 June 2010|url-status=live}}

In October 2007, 7,000 Huawei employees resigned and were then rehired on short-term contracts, thereby apparently avoiding the unlimited contract provisions of the Labour Contract Law of the People's Republic of China. The company denied it was exploiting loopholes in the law, while the move was condemned by local government and trade unions.{{cite web|url=http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/50739|title=ABC Radio Australia: CHINA: Companies seeking loopholes in new labour laws|last1=Crothall|first1=Geoffrey|first2=Karon|last2=Snowdon|date=12 November 2007|publisher=China Labour Bulletin|access-date=24 February 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716065253/http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/50739|archive-date=16 July 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/100253|title=Is corporate "wolf-culture" devouring China's over-worked employees?|date=27 May 2008|publisher=China Labour Bulletin|access-date=24 February 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006132653/http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/100253|archive-date=6 October 2008}}

Huawei's treatment of its workforce in Guangdong, Southern China, also triggered a media outcry after a 25-year-old software engineer, Hu Xinyu, died in May 2006 from bacterial encephalitis, as a result of what is believed{{by whom|date=March 2013}} to have been work-related fatigue.{{cite news|title=CBC News: Stemming the brain drain|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_metz/20071105.html|first=Trevor|last=Metz|date=12 November 2007|access-date=20 April 2010|publisher=CBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120111359/http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_metz/20071105.html|archive-date=20 January 2011|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=296942&rel_no=1|title=Worked to Death in China|last=Xu|first=Zhiqiang|date=7 June 2006|publisher=OhmyNews International|access-date=27 April 2010|location=Korea|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514044112/http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=296942&rel_no=1|archive-date=14 May 2011|url-status=live}}

In its 2010 Corporate Social Responsibility report, Huawei highlighted the importance of employee health and safety. In 2010, Huawei provided annual health checks to all full-time employees and performed 3,200 checks to employees exposed to occupational health risks.{{cite web|url=http://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/corporate-citizenship/csr-report/index.htm|title=CSR Report 2010|year=2010|website=Huawei.com|publisher=Huawei|access-date=10 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107200133/http://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/corporate-citizenship/csr-report/index.htm|archive-date=7 November 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://clb.org.hk/en/content/death-overwork-china|title=Death from Overwork in China|date=11 August 2006|website=China Labour Bulletin|access-date=11 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218181318/https://clb.org.hk/en/content/death-overwork-china|archive-date=18 December 2018|url-status=live}}

In early 2018, Li Hongyuan was urged to resign by Huawei's HR in Shenzhen. Li asked for compensation based on the Labor Law of China. In late 2018, Huawei's HR transferred 300,000 yuan to Li via a personal account. Then Huawei reported to the police for racketeering and blackmailing because Huawei asserted that Li threatened to "report business fraud" as a condition of resignation. The police then detained Li on 16 December 2018 and arrested him on 22 January 2019. According to a secret recording tape provided by Li's wife, the two-hour negotiation between Li and Huawei's HR did not mention any Huawei's allegations. Li was released after 251 days in prison.{{cite news|last=Xue|first=Yujie|date=3 November 2019|title=Huawei Breaks Silence After Sending Former Employee to Jail|url=http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1004908/huawei-breaks-silence-after-sending-former-employee-to-jail|work=Sixth Tone|access-date=10 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203190157/http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1004908/huawei-breaks-silence-after-sending-former-employee-to-jail|archive-date=3 December 2019|url-status=live}} In December 2019, The Guardian reported that police are commonly deployed against former employees, thereby raising questions on Huawei's links to the state. Reports and trending hashtags about the detentions have been censored in China, and the Communist Youth League of China posted an article online claiming that protesters in Hong Kong had passed information about Li's case to destabilise China after The Guardian reported the case.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/dec/23/this-is-not-rule-of-law-detention-of-huawei-workers-sparks-backlash|title='This is not rule of law': detention of Huawei workers sparks backlash|last=Kuo|first=Lily|date=2019-12-23|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-23|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223051032/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/dec/23/this-is-not-rule-of-law-detention-of-huawei-workers-sparks-backlash|archive-date=2019-12-23|url-status=live}}

According to a report, Huawei have been working closely with the China Development Bank in foreign markets since 2004.{{cite web|url=https://www.telecomasia.net/content/huawei-gets-30b-credit-line-cdb|title=Huawei gets $30b credit line from CDB|website=telecomasia.net|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602143018/https://www.telecomasia.net/content/huawei-gets-30b-credit-line-cdb|archive-date=2019-06-02|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmontlake/2012/12/07/chinese-policy-bank-helps-zte-huawei-to-fly-the-flag/|title=Chinese Policy Bank Helps ZTE, Huawei To Fly The Flag|first=Simon|last=Montlake|website=Forbes|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604084239/https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmontlake/2012/12/07/chinese-policy-bank-helps-zte-huawei-to-fly-the-flag/|archive-date=2019-06-04|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://french.china.org.cn/english/BAT/116828.htm|title=Huawei Funded for Overseas Expansion|website=french.china.org.cn|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603083946/http://french.china.org.cn/english/BAT/116828.htm|archive-date=2019-06-03|url-status=dead}}

Huawei has been reported to be a key recipient of Chinese state subsidies, having acquired land for facilities and employee housing at significantly below-market prices, receiving state grants for its R&D activities and being a key recipient of export financing with state loans being granted to overseas customers to fund their purchases of Huawei equipment.{{cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2019-05-huawei-key-beneficiary-china-subsidies.html|title=Huawei a key beneficiary of China subsidies that US wants ended|website=phys.org|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226054508/https://phys.org/news/2019-05-huawei-key-beneficiary-china-subsidies.html|archive-date=2019-12-26|url-status=live}} The Central Intelligence Agency has claimed that it is in possession of unreleased evidence that confirms that Huawei has been funded by China's military and intelligence agencies.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/04/20/cia-offers-proof-huawei-has-been-funded-by-chinas-military-and-intelligence/|title=CIA Claims It Has Proof Huawei Has Been Funded By China's Military And Intelligence|first=Zak|last=Doffman|website=Forbes|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226054829/https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/04/20/cia-offers-proof-huawei-has-been-funded-by-chinas-military-and-intelligence/|archive-date=2019-12-26|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-huawei-idUSKCN1RW03D|title=U.S. intelligence says Huawei funded by Chinese state security: report|agency=Reuters|date=2019-04-20|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308022816/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-huawei-idUSKCN1RW03D|archive-date=2020-03-08|url-status=live}}

In year 2011, the U.S. Export-Import Bank President Fred Hochberg alleged the China Development Bank credit as one of the main reason behind Huawei's rapid growth, however Huawei rejected the claim as "fundamentally incorrect" despite admitting the existence of those credits.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-huawei-idUSTRE75F71220110616|title=Huawei rejects Eximbank chief's China aid claim|date=June 16, 2011|work=Reuters.com|agency=Reuters|access-date=May 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603051837/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-huawei-idUSTRE75F71220110616|archive-date=June 3, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2012, Huawei president Ren Zhengfei have stated that, "without government protection, Huawei would no longer be alive."{{cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2019/04/22/non-huawei-n-est-pas-une-entreprise-comme-les-autres_5453414_3232.html|title=Non, Huawei n'est pas une entreprise comme les autres|date=April 22, 2019|work=Le Monde|access-date=May 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515105357/https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2019/04/22/non-huawei-n-est-pas-une-entreprise-comme-les-autres_5453414_3232.html|archive-date=May 15, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2013, European Union found that Huawei and ZTE have violated EU's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy guidelines, however Huawei denied the finding and claim they are always playing fairly.{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/eu-huawei-zte-dump-products-in-european-markets/|title=EU: Huawei, ZTE 'dump' products in European markets|first=Charlie|last=Osborne|publisher=ZDNet|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815052754/http://www.zdnet.com/article/eu-huawei-zte-dump-products-in-european-markets/|archive-date=2015-08-15|url-status=live}}

In 2016, The Indian government found that Chinese telecommunication equipment makers including Huawei have been continually dumping equipment into the Indian market and causing injury to local companies. As a result, the Indian government applied an anti-dumping duty to equipment imported from Chinese equipment makers, including Huawei. The duties applied to Huawei were levied at a rate of 37.73%.{{cite web|url=https://www.telecomlead.com/telecom-equipment/huawei-zte-telecom-equipments-face-anti-dumping-duty-india-68548|title=Huawei, ZTE telecom equipment face anti-dumping duty in India|first=Telecom|last=Lead|date=April 27, 2016|access-date=May 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529024021/http://www.telecomlead.com/telecom-equipment/huawei-zte-telecom-equipments-face-anti-dumping-duty-india-68548|archive-date=May 29, 2016|url-status=live}}

On 25 October 2012, the Reuters news agency published a report, based on documents and interviews, alleging an Iranian-based seller of Huawei (Soda Gostar Persian Vista) tried to sell embargoed American antenna equipment (made by American company Andrew LLC) to an Iranian firm (MTN Irancell). Specifically, the Andrew antennas were part of a large order for Huawei telecommunications gear that MTN Irancell had placed through Soda Gostar, but the MTN Irancell says it cancelled the deal with Huawei when it learned the items were subject to sanctions and before any equipment was delivered. Vic Guyang, a Huawei spokesman, acknowledged that MTN Irancell had cancelled the order; Rick Aspan, a spokesman for CommScope, said the company was not aware of the aborted transaction.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-caught-up-in-legal-mess-over-cell-equipment-sales-to-iran/|title=Huawei caught up in legal mess over cell equipment sales to Iran|last=Reisinger|first=Don|publisher=CNET|access-date=2019-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407031749/https://www.cnet.com/news/huawei-caught-up-in-legal-mess-over-cell-equipment-sales-to-iran/|archive-date=2019-04-07|url-status=live}}{{Failed verification|date=December 2021|reason=No mention of Rick Aspan, source says CommScore instead of CommScope, no mention of ann=y comment from the company. However, the source does explain that "Andrew is owned by CommScore", which this article leaves out.}}

In December 2012, Reuters reported the "deep links" existed as early as 2010 between Huawei through Meng Wanzhou (who was then CFO of the firm) and an Iranian telecom importer named Skycom. At least 1.3 million Euros worth of embargoed Hewlett-Packard computer equipment was sold to "Iran's largest mobile-phone operator in late 2010". The next month, Reuters detailed more Huawei behaviour, including direct governance by Meng of Skycom.{{cite news|last1=Stecklow|first1=Steve|last2=Dehghanpisheh|first2=Babak|title=Huawei hid business operation in Iran after reported links to CFO, documents show|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-huawei-hid-business-operation-in-iran-after-reported-links-to-cfo/|agency=Reuters|publisher=The Globe and Mail Inc|date=3 June 2020|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=11 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611155058/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-huawei-hid-business-operation-in-iran-after-reported-links-to-cfo/|url-status=live}} Meanwhile, the U.S. had long-standing sanctions on Iran, including against the importation of U.S. technology goods into Iran. At some point in 2018, the U.S. Attorney-General filed charges in court against Huawei and, in particular, Meng.

In April 2018, it was reported that the U.S. Justice Department had joined the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, and the Department of Commerce, to investigate possible violations of economic sanctions by Huawei for its provision of equipment in Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela. The U.S. inquiry stems from an earlier sanctions-violation probe that ultimately led to penalties against ZTE.Sheridan Prasso (25 April 2018). [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-25/fbi-is-said-to-probe-huawei-for-possible-sanctions-violations "Huawei Said to Be Probed by FBI for Possible Iran Violations"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810072556/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-25/fbi-is-said-to-probe-huawei-for-possible-sanctions-violations |date=2018-08-10 }}. Bloomberg Technology. Retrieved 9 August 2018.

On 1 December 2018, Huawei vice-chairwoman and CFO Meng Wanzhou,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/technology/meng-wanzhou-huawei-arrest.html|title=Meng Wanzhou Was Huawei's Professional Face, Until Her Arrest|last=Zhong|first=Raymond|date=7 December 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=8 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208002100/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/technology/meng-wanzhou-huawei-arrest.html|archive-date=8 December 2018|url-status=live}} daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities. She faces extradition to the United States on charges of violating sanctions against Iran.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/05/business/huawei-cfo-arrest-canada-extradition.html|title=A Top Huawei Executive Is Arrested in Canada for Extradition to the U.S.|last1=Wakabayashi|first1=Daisuke|date=5 December 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=6 December 2018|last2=Rappeport|first2=Alan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206012107/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/05/business/huawei-cfo-arrest-canada-extradition.html|archive-date=6 December 2018|url-status=live}} 22 August 2018 arrest warrant was issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/07/tech/huawei-cfo-us-case/index.html|title=US case against Huawei CFO revealed in Canadian court|publisher=CNN|date=7 December 2018|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208160755/https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/07/tech/huawei-cfo-us-case/index.html|archive-date=8 December 2018|url-status=live}}

Meng is "charged with conspiracy to defraud multiple international institutions", according to the prosecutor.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bail-hearing-huawei-cfo-1.4936150|title=US case against Huawei CFO revealed in Canadian court|publisher=CBC News|date=7 December 2018|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208143510/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bail-hearing-huawei-cfo-1.4936150|archive-date=8 December 2018|url-status=live}} The warrant was based on allegations of a conspiracy to defraud banks which were clearing money that was claimed to be for Huawei, but was actually for Skycom, an entity claimed to be entirely controlled by Huawei, which was said to be dealing in Iran, contrary to sanctions. None of the allegations have been proven in court.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-08/market-shaking-u-s-case-against-huawei-cfo-rolls-into-next-week|title=Chinese state media says U.S. trying to 'stifle' Huawei with arrest|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=7 December 2018|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208141757/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-08/market-shaking-u-s-case-against-huawei-cfo-rolls-into-next-week|archive-date=8 December 2018|url-status=live}} On 11 December 2018, Meng Wanzhou was released on bail.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/11/tech/huawei-meng-wanzhou-bail-decision/index.html|title=Facing extradition to the US, Huawei's CFO is released on bail in Canada|last1=Horowitz|first1=Julia|date=12 December 2018|publisher=CNN|access-date=18 December 2018|last2=Moya|first2=Alberto|last3=McLean|first3=Scott|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215174446/https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/11/tech/huawei-meng-wanzhou-bail-decision/index.html|archive-date=15 December 2018|url-status=live}}

On 28 January 2019, U.S. federal prosecutors formally indicted Meng Wanzhou and Huawei with thirteen counts of bank and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and misappropriating trade secrets.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47036515|title=US files charges against China's Huawei and CFO Meng Wanzhou|date=28 January 2019|access-date=28 January 2018|publisher=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128220059/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47036515|archive-date=28 January 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/01/us-indicts-huawei-for-stealing-t-mobile-robot-selling-us-tech-to-iran/|title=US indicts Huawei for stealing T-Mobile robot arm, selling US tech to Iran|last=Lee|first=Timothy B.|date=29 January 2019|website=Ars Technica|access-date=30 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130012934/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/01/us-indicts-huawei-for-stealing-t-mobile-robot-selling-us-tech-to-iran/|archive-date=30 January 2019|url-status=live}} The department also filed a formal extradition request for Meng with Canadian authorities that same day. Huawei responded to the charges and that it "denies that it or its subsidiary or affiliate have committed any of the asserted violations", as well as asserted Meng was similarly innocent. The China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology believed the charges brought on by the United States were "unfair".{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/01/28/huawei-china-urges-us-end-unreasonable-crackdown/2707836002/|title=China calls on US to end 'unreasonable crackdown' on Huawei, other Chinese firms|first=Thomas|last=Maresca|date=29 January 2019|access-date=29 January 2019|work=USA Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129120149/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/01/28/huawei-china-urges-us-end-unreasonable-crackdown/2707836002/|archive-date=29 January 2019|url-status=live}}

In May 2019, Chinese authorities arrested Canadian former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant Michael Spavor on charges of espionage.{{cite web|title=China charges Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor with spying: Pair accused of gathering state secrets and providing them to foreign forces, foreign ministry says: Ottawa says it 'strongly condemns' the move|author=Liu Zhen|work=South China Morning Post|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3010517/china-charges-canadians-michael-kovrig-and-michael-spavor|date=May 16, 2019|access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214013357/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3010517/china-charges-canadians-michael-kovrig-and-michael-spavor|archive-date=14 December 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.koreaworldtimes.com/topics/news/6357/|title=邦人80人が長期拘束される中国 定義なきのスパイ罪とはどんな扱いを受けるのか（3/3）|newspaper=KoreaWorldTimes|date=2019-11-28|language=ja|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518231920/https://www.koreaworldtimes.com/topics/news/6357/|archive-date=18 May 2020|url-status=live}} This was widely seen as a retaliatory move from the Chinese authorities, and other subsequent arrests were also questioned.{{cite news|title=Canadian citizen detained in China as row continues over Huawei chief: Beijing arrests Canadian citizen on drug-related charges amid diplomatic crisis, following detention of Meng Wanzhou|agency=Agence France-Presse|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/15/china-huawei-canada-arrest-latest-tensions-drug-charges|date=July 15, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=December 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214111443/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/15/china-huawei-canada-arrest-latest-tensions-drug-charges|archive-date=14 December 2019|url-status=live}} These arrests have been viewed as hostage diplomacy,{{cite web|last1=Kuo|first1=Lily|title='Hostage' diplomacy: Canadian's death sentence in China sets worrying tone, experts say|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/15/hostage-diplomacy-canadians-death-sentence-in-china-sets-worrying-tone-experts-say|website=The Guardian|date=15 January 2019|access-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116073516/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/15/hostage-diplomacy-canadians-death-sentence-in-china-sets-worrying-tone-experts-say|archive-date=16 January 2020|url-status=live}} as has the subsequent arrest of Australian Yang Hengjun.{{cite web|last1=Medcalf|first1=Rory|title=Arrest of Yang Hengjun drags Australia into China's hostage diplomacy|url=https://nsc.crawford.anu.edu.au/department-news/13717/arrest-yang-hengjun-drags-australia-chinas-hostage-diplomacy|website=nsc.crawford.anu.edu.au|publisher=Australian National University|access-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216224329/https://nsc.crawford.anu.edu.au/department-news/13717/arrest-yang-hengjun-drags-australia-chinas-hostage-diplomacy|archive-date=16 December 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Dixon|first1=Robyn|author-link=Robyn Dixon (journalist)|date=24 January 2019|title=China's arrest of Australian writer is called 'hostage diplomacy'|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-china-writer-arrested-20190124-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216224317/https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-china-writer-arrested-20190124-story.html|archive-date=16 December 2019|access-date=18 December 2019|work=Los Angeles Times|location=Beijing}}{{cite web|last1=Panda|first1=Ankit|title=China's 'Hostage Diplomacy' Cannot Be Allowed to Stand|url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/chinas-hostage-diplomacy-cannot-be-allowed-to-stand/|website=thediplomat.com|publisher=The Diplomat|access-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217042323/https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/chinas-hostage-diplomacy-cannot-be-allowed-to-stand/|archive-date=17 December 2019|url-status=live}}

In November 2019, Huawei announced that it will pay RMB2 billion (US$286 million) in bonuses to its staff, and double their October salaries, as a reward for their efforts to counter the effect of recent U.S. trade sanctions on their supply chain.{{cite news|last1=Liu|first1=Qianer|last2=Wong|first2=Sue-Lin|title=Huawei to pay staff $286m bonus for helping counter sanctions|url=https://www.ft.com/content/21019ce4-051b-11ea-a984-fbbacad9e7dd|website=Financial Times|access-date=17 November 2019|date=12 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117095220/https://www.ft.com/content/21019ce4-051b-11ea-a984-fbbacad9e7dd|archive-date=17 November 2019|url-status=live}}

"Canada is not the only one grappling with the Gordian knot of national security, global alliance and competitive market issues that Huawei represents," wrote the Financial Post in December 2019, noting that Australia and New Zealand have banned Huawei equipment, Britain is weighing its options, and the situation in the United States is "complicated".{{cite news|author=James McLeod|title=Canada not alone in Huawei dilemma|work=Financial Post|page=FP1|date=December 10, 2019}}

On 27 May 2020, Meng lost her bid for freedom in the B.C. Supreme Court of Heather Holmes. She remained held in Vancouver on the extradition matter while her file was processed. The B.C. Supreme Court judge ruling that extradition proceedings against the Huawei executive should proceed, denying the claim of double criminality brought by Meng's defense team.{{cite news|title=Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou loses key court battle as B.C. judge rules extradition bid should proceed - CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=27 May 2020|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-extradition-decision-1.5585737|access-date=15 Jun 2020|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607174317/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-extradition-decision-1.5585737|url-status=live}} It was noted that Meng could appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada and then finally to the Minister of Justice.{{cite news|last1=Proctor|first1=Jason|title=Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou loses key court battle as B.C. judge rules extradition bid should proceed|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-extradition-decision-1.5585737|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=27 May 2020|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607174317/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-extradition-decision-1.5585737|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Proctor|first1=Jason|title=How a man with two wives helped deliver one big loss to Meng Wanzhou|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-george-collins-double-criminality-1.5590693|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=30 May 2020|access-date=15 June 2020|archive-date=14 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614211738/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meng-wanzhou-george-collins-double-criminality-1.5590693|url-status=live}}

In June 2020, it came to light that more paper trail existed between Meng and Skycom, the Iranian importer of sanctioned U.S. technology. The paper trail purported to show how Meng attempted to insulate Huawei and herself by fig-leaf from clearly violating the sanctions regime. The charges against Meng include that she met the deputy head at HSBC of global banking for the Asia-Pacific region and that she made "numerous misrepresentations regarding Huawei's ownership and control of Skycom."

On 24 September 2021, the Department of Justice announced it had suspended its charges against Meng Wanzhou after she entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with them in which she conceded she helped misrepresent the relationship between Huawei and its subsidiary Skycom to HSBC in order to transact business with Iran, but did not have to plead guilty to the fraud charges. The Department of Justice will move to withdraw all the charges against Meng when the deferral period ends on 21 December 2022, on the condition that she is not charged with a crime before then.{{Cite news|last=Jacobs|first=Colleta|title=Meng Wanzhou reaches deal in Huawei espionage case that will allow her to return to China, lawyer says|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/huawei-meng-wanzhou-plea-deal/2021/09/24/6068d9f4-1d49-11ec-bcb8-0cb135811007_story.html|access-date=2021-09-24|issn=0190-8286}} {{Cite news|date=2021-09-24|title=Huawei's Meng Wanzhou to be freed in US deal|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58682998|access-date=2021-09-24}}

According to a report by Iraqi officials Huawei supplied "optic fibre and switching equipment" to the Iraqi military in 2001–2002 during the Ba'athist period when the country was ruled by Saddam Hussein, this was in violation of sanctions imposed by the United Nation on Iraq in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/410267/huawei-broke-iraq-embargo|title=Huawei 'broke Iraq embargo' |work=South China Morning Post|date=2003-03-23|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515210041/https://www.scmp.com/article/410267/huawei-broke-iraq-embargo|archive-date=2019-05-15|url-status=live}} Huawei denied the claims.

In 2019, Reuters reported that Huawei was linked to a suspicious front company in Mauritius which has conducted operations in Syria - despite Huawei's claim that they are unrelated.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-iran-exclusive-idUSKCN1P21MH|title=Exclusive: New documents link Huawei to suspected front companies...|date=January 9, 2019|work=Reuters.com|agency=Reuters|access-date=May 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513181629/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-iran-exclusive-idUSKCN1P21MH|archive-date=May 13, 2019|url-status=live}}

See #Taliban_2 section.

In 2019, The Washington Post reported that Huawei was linked to a suspicious Chinese state-owned firm which has conducted operations in North Korea.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/leaked-documents-reveal-huaweis-secret-operations-to-build-north-koreas-wireless-network/2019/07/22/583430fe-8d12-11e9-adf3-f70f78c156e8_story.html|title=Leaked documents reveal Huawei's secret operations to build North Korea's wireless network|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=2019-07-22|access-date=2019-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210022815/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/leaked-documents-reveal-huaweis-secret-operations-to-build-north-koreas-wireless-network/2019/07/22/583430fe-8d12-11e9-adf3-f70f78c156e8_story.html|archive-date=2019-12-10|url-status=live}}

{{See also|Mass surveillance in China}}

Huawei have been reported as one of the key suppliers for China's Great Firewall of China internet censorship program.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/arthurherman/2018/12/10/huaweis-and-chinas-dangerous-high-tech-game/|title=Huawei's (And China's) Dangerous High-Tech Game|first=Arthur|last=Herman|website=Forbes|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515103447/https://www.forbes.com/sites/arthurherman/2018/12/10/huaweis-and-chinas-dangerous-high-tech-game/|archive-date=2019-05-15|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://c5is.com/cisco-huawei-and-semptian-a-look-behind-the-great-firewall-of-china/|title=Cisco, Huawei and Semptian: A Look Behind the Great Firewall of China|date=December 15, 2014|access-date=May 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714193154/https://c5is.com/cisco-huawei-and-semptian-a-look-behind-the-great-firewall-of-china/|archive-date=July 14, 2019|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}} Huawei is also reported to have worked closely with the Chinese Communist Party to enable surveillance of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/tiktoks-owner-is-helping-chinas-campaign-of-repression-in-xinjiang-report-finds/2019/11/28/98e8d9e4-119f-11ea-bf62-eadd5d11f559_story.html|title=TikTok's owner is helping China's campaign of repression in Xinjiang, report finds|last=Fifield|first=Anna|date=November 28, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128183415/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/tiktoks-owner-is-helping-chinas-campaign-of-repression-in-xinjiang-report-finds/2019/11/28/98e8d9e4-119f-11ea-bf62-eadd5d11f559_story.html|archive-date=November 28, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Dou|first=Eva|date=December 14, 2021|title=Documents link Huawei to China's surveillance programs|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/12/14/huawei-surveillance-china/|access-date=January 3, 2022}} In 2018, Huawei signed an agreement with the Xinjiang public security bureau for the creation of an "intelligent security industry" hub.{{cite web|url=https://www.aspi.org.au/report/mapping-more-chinas-tech-giants|title=Mapping more of China's tech giants: AI and surveillance|date=28 November 2019|website=Australian Strategic Policy Institute|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121231455/https://www.aspi.org.au/report/mapping-more-chinas-tech-giants|archive-date=21 January 2020|access-date=2020-01-20}} In January 2021, it was reported that Huawei previously filed a patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration for a technology to identify Uyghur pedestrians.{{Cite news|date=2021-01-13|title=Huawei patent mentions use of Uighur-spotting tech|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-55634388|access-date=2021-01-13}}

In October 2011, The Wall Street Journal reported that Huawei had become Iran's leading provider of telecommunications equipment, including monitoring technologies that could be used for surveillance.{{cite news|title=Chinese Tech Giant Aids Iran|url=https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204644504576651503577823210|date=19 October 2011|access-date=19 October 2011|work=The Wall Street Journal|first=Steve|last=Stecklow|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410064135/http://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204644504576651503577823210|archive-date=10 April 2015|url-status=live}} Huawei responded with a statement claiming the story misrepresented the company's involvement: "We have never been involved and do not provide any services relating to monitoring or filtering technologies and equipment anywhere in the world".{{cite web|url=http://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/hw-104191.htm|title=Statement Regarding Inaccurate and Misleading Claims about Huawei's Commercial Operations in Iran|work=huawei.com|publisher=Huawei|access-date=7 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206081727/http://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/newsroom/press-release/hw-104191.htm|archive-date=6 February 2012|url-status=dead}}

According to report, Russian telecom equipment manufacturer Bulat was in talk with Huawei to acquire technology to store user data when they are using the network.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/29/putin-china-internet-great-firewall-russia-cybersecurity-pact|title=Putin brings China's Great Firewall to Russia in cybersecurity pact|first1=Andrei|last1=Soldatov|first2=Irina|last2=Borogan|date=November 29, 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428103030/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/29/putin-china-internet-great-firewall-russia-cybersecurity-pact|archive-date=April 28, 2019|url-status=live}}

In 2001, it was alleged that Huawei Technologies India had developed telecommunications surveillance equipment for the Taliban in Afghanistan, and newspapers reported that the Indian government had launched a probe into the firm's operations.{{cite news|title=Chinese firm's dealings: police kept in the dark about probe|first=K|last=Satyamurty|url=http://www.hindu.com/2001/12/12/stories/2001121200721100.htm|newspaper=The Hindu|date=12 December 2001|access-date=16 November 2011|location=Chennai, India|archive-date=23 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222218/https://www.thehindu.com/archive/print/2001/12/12/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Indian state government puts Chinese firm under microscope|first=Jay|last=Shankar|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=10 December 2001}} Huawei responded, stating that the company did not have "any link with the Taliban", as its only customers are telecommunications carriers{{cite news|title=India probes unit of Chinese firm for Taliban link.|first=Y.P|last=Rajesh|agency=Reuters News|date=11 December 2001}} and its facilities "always operate according to U.N. rules and the local laws of each country".{{cite news|title=Chinese firm denies reports that software center in India helped Taliban|first=Elaine|last=Kurtenback|work=Associated Press Newswires|date=12 December 2001}} On 15 December 2001, the Indian authorities announced that they had not found any evidence that Huawei India had any connection to the Taliban,{{cite news|title=No evidence of Taliban links to Chinese firm, Indian authorities say|first=S.|last=Srinivasan|work=Associated Press Newswires|date=15 December 2001}} although the U.S. remains suspicious.{{cite web|url=http://www.telecompaper.com/news/huawei-asks-us-govt-to-clear-its-name|title=Huawei asks US govt to clear its name|date=25 February 2011|work=Telecompaper|access-date=24 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404135553/http://www.telecompaper.com/news/huawei-asks-us-govt-to-clear-its-name|archive-date=4 April 2012|url-status=live}}

In September 2018, AnandTech reported that recent Huawei and Honor phones, including the Huawei P20 and Honor Play, had been configured to activate a high-performance mode when certain benchmarking software was detected, causing increased frame rates at the expense of efficiency and battery life. A Huawei executive admitted that the company was attempting to compete with domestic vendors, including one it accused of providing "unrealistic" scores. However, he also expressed an opinion that manufacturers should evaluate their phones on benchmarks that more accurately reflect real-world use, and that the company would vet its benchmark scores via third-parties before publishing them as promotional material.{{cite web|url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/13318/huawei-benchmark-cheating-headache|title=Huawei & Honor's Recent Benchmarking Behaviour: A Cheating Headache|last1=Cutress|first2=Andrei|last2=Frumusanu|first1=Ian|website=Anandtech.com|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180907193210/https://www.anandtech.com/show/13318/huawei-benchmark-cheating-headache|archive-date=2018-09-07|url-status=live}}

After confirming the behavior with a version of its software that could not be easily detected, 3DMark delisted scores for several Huawei and Honor devices from its database.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/9/6/17828534/huawei-benchmarks-rigged-p20-3dmark-ai|title=Huawei caught cheating benchmark test for P20|last=Kastrenakes|first=Jacob|date=2018-09-06|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703142553/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/9/6/17828534/huawei-benchmarks-rigged-p20-3dmark-ai|archive-date=2019-07-03|url-status=live}} Huawei subsequently announced that it would add a "Performance Mode" feature to its EMUI 9 software, allowing users to enable this state on-demand to improve performance of apps such as games.{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3304363/huawei-cheating-perfomance-mode.html|title=Huawei's benchmark-cheating Performance Mode could be the Mate 20's hottest feature|date=2018-09-10|website=PC World|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222241/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3304363/huawei-cheating-perfomance-mode.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/9/7/17832940/huawei-phone-performance-mode-camera-3dmark|title=Huawei will let all phone users access 'performance mode' after benchmark controversy|last=Carman|first=Ashley|date=2018-09-07|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407074125/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/9/7/17832940/huawei-phone-performance-mode-camera-3dmark|archive-date=2019-04-07|url-status=live}}

On several occasions, Huawei has issued promotional materials promoting the camera capabilities on its smartphones, that were later found to have actually used professional DSLR cameras instead. In 2015, Huawei posted a promotional photo on Google+ featuring Ella Woodward bathed in a sunrise, asking readers to share their own photos of the sunrise taken with the Huawei P9—as aided by its low-light capabilities. It was pointed out that Exif metadata on the photo identified it as having been taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, and the wording and intent of the post could potentially mislead readers into believing that the photo itself was also taken with a P9. Huawei pulled the post and apologized, stating that it was meant to "inspire our community", and that the caption should have been more clear.{{cite web|url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2016/07/04/huawei-publishes-implied-p9-camera-sample-but-exif-data-reveals-4500-camera-took-it/|title=[Update: Huawei removes photo, responds] Huawei publishes implied P9 camera sample, but EXIF data reveals $4500 camera took it|date=2016-07-04|website=Android Police|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403120419/https://www.androidpolice.com/2016/07/04/huawei-publishes-implied-p9-camera-sample-but-exif-data-reveals-4500-camera-took-it/|archive-date=2019-04-03|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36723090|title=Huawei sorry for 'misleading' photo|date=2016-07-06|publisher=BBC|archive-date=2019-03-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190312083941/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36723090|access-date=2019-03-12|url-status=live}}

In 2018, behind-the-scenes photos from the filming of a Nova 3 commercial by Huawei's Egyptian branch revealed that a DSLR had been used for certain scenes, implied to have been taken with the phone itself during the commercial. An actor was seen miming the taking of a selfie, without actually having a phone in his hand. It is not explicitly disclaimed in the ad.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/8/20/17759038/huawei-fake-dslr-shots-smartphone-picture-nova-3-commercial|title=Huawei gets caught faking DSLR shots as smartphone pictures in a commercial|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=2018-08-20|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407172643/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/8/20/17759038/huawei-fake-dslr-shots-smartphone-picture-nova-3-commercial|archive-date=2019-04-07|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/08/huawei-was-caught-using-a-pro-camera-to-fake-smartphone-photos-again/|title=Huawei was caught using a pro camera to fake smartphone photos (again)|last=Axon|first=Samuel|date=2018-08-20|website=Ars Technica|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409060305/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/08/huawei-was-caught-using-a-pro-camera-to-fake-smartphone-photos-again/|archive-date=2019-04-09|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/11/18260213/huawei-fake-photos-p30-pro-camera-ad-dslr|title=Huawei caught faking photos again, this time for the upcoming P30 Pro|website=The Verge|date=2019-03-11|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190312081723/https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/11/18260213/huawei-fake-photos-p30-pro-camera-ad-dslr|archive-date=2019-03-12|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://petapixel.com/2019/03/12/huawei-busted-for-faking-smartphone-photos-yet-again/|title=Huawei Busted for Faking Smartphone Photos Yet Again|website=petapixel.com|date=12 March 2019|access-date=2019-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219214450/https://petapixel.com/2019/03/12/huawei-busted-for-faking-smartphone-photos-yet-again/|archive-date=2019-12-19|url-status=live}}

In its promotion of the Huawei P30, the company was caught using stock photos on promotional posts for the device on Sina Weibo. The posts were later amended with fine print stating that they were for "reference" purposes only.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/11/18260213/huawei-fake-photos-p30-pro-camera-ad-dslr|title=Huawei caught faking photos again, this time for the upcoming P30 Pro|first=Stefan|last=Etienne|website=The Verge|date=2019-03-11|archive-date=2019-03-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190312081723/https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/11/18260213/huawei-fake-photos-p30-pro-camera-ad-dslr|access-date=2019-03-12|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.gsmarena.com/no_these_photos_werent_taken_with_the_huawei_p30-news-35950.php|title=No, these photos weren't taken with the Huawei P30|website=GSMArena.com|access-date=2019-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422031529/https://www.gsmarena.com/no_these_photos_werent_taken_with_the_huawei_p30-news-35950.php|archive-date=2020-04-22|url-status=live|author1=Ro}}

A new AI mode on the P30 is designed for taking photos of the moon, and states that it can "adequately capture the beauty of the moon along with fine details like moonbeams and shadows". However, it was later discovered that this mode merely composes existing imagery of the moon into the photo.{{cite web|url=https://www.phonearena.com/news/Is-the-Moon-Mode-on-the-Huawei-P-30-Pro-faking-parts-of-photographs_id115554|title=Researcher finds Huawei P30 Pro's Moon Mode is not what it seems|last=Friedman|first=Alan|website=Phone Arena|date=24 April 2019|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427011419/https://www.phonearena.com/news/Is-the-Moon-Mode-on-the-Huawei-P-30-Pro-faking-parts-of-photographs_id115554|archive-date=2019-04-27|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://in.mashable.com/tech/3114/are-the-moon-shots-from-the-huawei-p30-pro-fake|title=Are The Moon Shots From The Huawei P30 Pro Fake?|first=Aakash|last=Jhaveri|date=2019-04-25|website=Mashable India|access-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930183650/https://in.mashable.com/tech/3114/are-the-moon-shots-from-the-huawei-p30-pro-fake|archive-date=2019-09-30|url-status=live}}

In November 2017, Chinese users discovered the Salah (Islamic prayer) notification feature in Huawei Mate 10 phone, on the company's website for mainland China. It was viewed as an unjustified promotion of Islam given that Muslims are a minority religious group in mainland China that make up only about 1–2% of the population. Significant backlash has formed on the Chinese internet and some have even tried to boycott Huawei phones for including such feature, and make fun of the phone by calling it "the first phone with a Halal prayer feature" and describe the event as the "Islamic conversion of Huawei".{{cite web|url=https://www.hk01.com/%E5%85%A9%E5%B2%B8/134020/%E8%8F%AF%E7%82%BA%E6%96%B0%E6%89%8B%E6%A9%9F%E8%A8%AD%E6%B8%85%E7%9C%9F%E7%A6%AE%E6%8B%9C%E5%8A%9F%E8%83%BD%E8%A7%B8%E5%8F%8A%E6%95%8F%E6%84%9F%E6%B0%91%E6%97%8F%E5%95%8F%E9%A1%8C-%E7%B6%B2%E6%B0%91%E6%8A%A8-%E6%B3%9B%E6%B8%85%E7%9C%9F%E5%8C%96-|title=華為新手機設清真禮拜功能觸及敏感民族問題 網民抨「泛清真化」|website=hk01|access-date=2017-11-17|date=2017-11-16|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222243/https://www.hk01.com/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B/134020/%E8%8F%AF%E7%82%BA%E6%96%B0%E6%89%8B%E6%A9%9F%E8%A8%AD%E6%B8%85%E7%9C%9F%E7%A6%AE%E6%8B%9C%E5%8A%9F%E8%83%BD%E8%A7%B8%E5%8F%8A%E6%95%8F%E6%84%9F%E6%B0%91%E6%97%8F%E5%95%8F%E9%A1%8C-%E7%B6%B2%E6%B0%91%E6%8A%A8-%E6%B3%9B%E6%B8%85%E7%9C%9F%E5%8C%96|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://news.dwnews.com/china/news/2017-11-16/60024027.html|title=手机内置清真模式遭反感 华为强硬回应|website=多维新闻|access-date=2017-11-17|date=2017-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117002645/http://news.dwnews.com/china/news/2017-11-16/60024027.html|archive-date=2017-11-17|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.letscorp.net/archives/125168|title=世界上第一款深度内置清真功能的手机？华为陷清真门遭网友抵制|website=墙外楼|access-date=2017-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117003021/https://www.letscorp.net/archives/125168|archive-date=2017-11-17|url-status=live}}

Later, Huawei published an official statement via Sina Weibo,{{cite web|url=https://weibo.com/1839167003/FvmGAyA5A|title=《关于有组织的水军再次恶意攻击华为手机"闹铃提醒功能"的说明》|website=Sina Weibo|access-date=2017-11-17|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222232/https://weibo.com/login.php|url-status=live}} stating that the feature was only a personalized notification service designed for "certain overseas regions" that was not available in China. Netizens questioned why promotion of that feature was available on the company's Chinese website in the first place if that was not the intended area but those comments were deleted before getting any response. A Taoist priest commented that the mosque-finding service on the device was also available in mainland China, inconsistent with the official explanation about these religious features.{{cite web|url=https://weibo.com/1261093102/Fvoyj7eYt|title=网友爆料：华为天猫旗舰店客服确认国产行货mate10已内置查找附近清真寺功能，而非华为官方所说的仅限特定中文地区。|website=Sina Weibo|access-date=2017-11-17|archive-date=2020-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823222250/https://passport.weibo.com/visitor/visitor?entry=miniblog&a=enter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fweibo.com%2F1261093102%2FFvoyj7eYt&domain=.weibo.com&ua=php-sso_sdk_client-0.6.36&_rand=1598221369.1179|url-status=live}} After Huawei published the official statement, many news reports and discussions made on Chinese online media or Chinese discussion platforms were made inaccessible or removed from the internet.{{cite web|url=https://tech.sina.com.cn/t/2017-11-16/doc-ifynwxum1379421.shtml|title=华为回应"华为手机内置清真模式"：未对中国开放|website=新浪科技|access-date=2017-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117002731/https://tech.sina.com.cn/t/2017-11-16/doc-ifynwxum1379421.shtml|archive-date=2017-11-17|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://36kr.com/newsflashes/89876|title=华为回应"华为手机内置清真模式"：未对中国开放|website=36氪|date=16 November 2017|access-date=2017-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117003551/https://36kr.com/newsflashes/89876|archive-date=2017-11-17|url-status=live}}

In January 2016, people found out that Chou Tzu-yu, a Taiwanese artist performing in South Korea and endorsed the Huawei Y6 in advertisement beforehand, was displaying the flag of Republic of China in a Korean entertainment show and accused the artist's behavior as supporting Taiwanese independence. As a response to the discovery, Huawei announced on the official forum that the arrangement was decided by their South Korean carrier partner LG U+ and they have already told LG U+ to terminate their cooperation with Chou Tzu-yu and her agency company.{{cite news|url=http://mt.sohu.com/20160112/n434290496.shtml|title=周子瑜被黄安举报台独华为取消代言 安徽北京春晚除名韩女团twice|publisher=搜狐-前瞻网|date=2016-01-12|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126105959/http://mt.sohu.com/20160112/n434290496.shtml|archive-date=2016-01-26}} However LG U+ rejected the statement and claim their contract with the artist are still valid despite disputes.{{cite web|url=https://www.koreaboo.com/news/lg-u-removes-all-adverts-featuring-twices-tzuyu-following-controversy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331231836/http://www.koreaboo.com/news/lg-u-removes-all-adverts-featuring-twices-tzuyu-following-controversy/|url-status=dead|title=LG U+ removes all adverts featuring TWICE's Tzuyu following controversy|date=January 16, 2016|archive-date=March 31, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/lg-electronics-denies-involvement-tzuyus-case-030058859.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112002116/https://sg.news.yahoo.com/lg-electronics-denies-involvement-tzuyus-case-030058859.html|url-status=dead|title=LG Electronics denies involvement in Tzuyu's case|archive-date=January 12, 2017|publisher=Yahoo! News}} Chinese netizens have called for boycotting Huawei phones as a form of protest.{{cite news|title=LG U+否認終止代言 子瑜現身粉絲歡呼|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20160119/19457805|publisher=台灣《蘋果日報》|date=2016-01-19|access-date=2016-01-19|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121171206/http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20160119/19457805|archive-date=2016-01-21}}

In August 2019 Chinese netizens criticized Huawei because their P-series phones listed Taiwan as a separate country when set to use traditional Chinese characters.{{cite web|title=China's online users lambast Huawei for Taiwan listing|url=https://news.yahoo.com/chinas-online-users-lambast-huawei-taiwan-listing-114537768.html|publisher=Yahoo News|agency=Agence France-Presse|access-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815042713/https://news.yahoo.com/chinas-online-users-lambast-huawei-taiwan-listing-114537768.html|archive-date=15 August 2019|url-status=live}} Chinese netizens called for a boycott of Huawei using the Weibo hashtag #HuaweiGetoutofChina (华为滚出中国) and accused the company of supporting separatism.{{cite web|last1=Everington|first1=Keoni|title=Chinese netizens furious at Huawei for listing Taiwan as separate country|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3763380|work=Taiwan News|date=15 August 2019|access-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815031148/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3763380|archive-date=15 August 2019|url-status=live}}

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Category:History of Huawei

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