Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has denied any wrongdoing after US prosecutors filed a series of criminal charges against the company.
The indictment accuses Huawei of offenses including bank fraud, obstruction of justice, and theft of technology.
In an official statement, Huawei said it was “disappointed to learn of the charges brought against the company today” and denied committing “the asserted violations.” The company also stated it “is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms Meng.”
Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and the daughter of the company’s founder, was arrested in Canada last month. US authorities allege she helped Huawei evade US sanctions on Iran by concealing the company’s relationship with two subsidiaries. Huawei rejects those allegations.
Sanctions on Iran were reinstated after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, citing concerns that Tehran had not met its obligations. Recent US measures have targeted Iran’s oil exports, banking sector, and shipping activity.
Tensions between the US and China over trade — which have included reciprocal tariffs — are frequently cited as part of the broader context shaping the tougher stance on Huawei.
The indictment also references technology known as “Tappy,” developed by T-Mobile to mimic the motion of human fingers when testing a smartphone’s durability. Prosecutors allege Huawei stole that technology and engaged in obstruction of justice and wire fraud in connection with the matter.
During a 2015 tour of Huawei’s facilities in China, Telecoms editors observed a testing rig with a finger-sized stylus that tapped and swiped continuously. Though observers noted its similarity to T-Mobile’s Tappy device, the reports do not confirm the device’s identity.
Visitors were reportedly prohibited from recording the tests. Huawei has said its devices undergo extensive durability testing and, in response to T-Mobile’s claims, settled a related civil dispute that was filed in 2014.
FBI Director Christopher Wray commented on the charges, asserting that the breadth and severity of the allegations show Huawei and senior executives repeatedly refused to respect US law and international business norms. Wray said Huawei “intentionally and systematically sought to steal valuable intellectual property from an American company so it could circumvent hard‑earned, time‑consuming research and gain an unfair market advantage.”
The United States has urged allies to avoid Chinese vendors when building 5G networks, citing national security risks. Reports indicate US officials have at times offered incentives to choose Western alternatives.
Wray warned that any company potentially influenced by a foreign government — particularly one with divergent values — could gain a foothold in telecom infrastructure, enabling it to modify or exfiltrate data, conduct espionage undetected, or exert pressure and control.
Earlier this month, a Huawei employee, Wang Weijing, was arrested in Poland on spying allegations. Poland’s Internal Security Agency said those allegations related to individual actions and were not directly tied to Huawei’s corporate activities.
Huawei maintains it is an independent private company not controlled by the Chinese government and that it would not be compelled to carry out attacks on foreign networks.
Executives at Huawei Canada have dismissed suggestions that the company would engage in state-directed espionage, arguing that such actions would destroy trust and be catastrophic for their business. In response to security concerns, some operators and governments have paused purchases of Huawei equipment.
At a briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang called the US actions politically motivated and accused Washington of trying to “smear and suppress certain Chinese companies.”
In total, US prosecutors filed 23 charges against Huawei.
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