Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (pronounced HWAH-way or WAH-way; Chinese: 华为; pinyin: Huáwéi) is a Chinese multinational technology conglomerate based in Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong province.
Founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, a former officer in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Huawei designs, develops, manufactures, and sells a wide range of products, including digital telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, smart devices, distributed operating systems, electric vehicle autonomous driving systems, and rooftop solar products.
Originally focused on manufacturing phone switches, Huawei has expanded its operations to over 170 countries, offering telecommunications network infrastructure, equipment, operational services, and consulting.
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In 2012, the company surpassed Ericsson to become the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer globally, and by 2018 and 2020, it had outpaced Apple and Samsung to become the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer.
As of 2024, Huawei’s primary business area remains telecommunications equipment, with the Chinese government as its largest customer.
Despite its growth, Huawei has faced allegations of intellectual property infringement, settling a dispute with Cisco.
Questions surrounding state influence on the company have emerged due to its role as a national champion in China, receiving subsidies and support from government entities, particularly amid opposition to its participation in 5G networks from some countries.
Huawei’s software and equipment have been implicated in the mass surveillance of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, leading to sanctions from the United States.
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The company has encountered challenges in various countries due to concerns that its equipment might facilitate Chinese government surveillance, given its perceived ties to military and intelligence agencies.
Huawei has countered that critics, including the US government, have not provided evidence of espionage.
Experts note that China’s 2014 Counter-Espionage Law and 2017 National Intelligence Law could compel Huawei and similar companies to cooperate with state intelligence efforts.
In 2012, intelligence agencies in Australia and the US concluded that a hack of Australia’s telecom networks involved Huawei, although the network operators disputed this claim.
During the China–United States trade war that began in January 2018, the US accused Huawei of violating sanctions against Iran, leading to restrictions on its business dealings with American companies.
The US also sought the extradition of Huawei’s chief financial officer from Canada.
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In June 2019, the company reduced its workforce at its Santa Clara research center, and by December, Ren Zhengfei indicated a move to Canada.
In 2020, Huawei sold its Honor brand to a state-owned enterprise in Shenzhen to “ensure its survival” under US sanctions.
In November 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned the sale and importation of Huawei equipment due to national security concerns, with several countries, including members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, Quad members India and Japan, and ten European Union states, following suit with bans or restrictions on Huawei products.
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