As the $100bn Chinese technology conglomerate is embroiled in President Donald Trump’s trade war with Beijing, Arabian Business goes inside the global giant at its sprawling headquarters on the outskirts of Shenzhen to discover what actually lies behind the spying allegations, and how the Gulf fits into the war between the world’s two biggest superpowers
In a small town in rural Ireland, an elderly woman is shown a selection of the latest mobile phones.
“This one is the best one we have – best camera and best value, and its battery is as good as any other on the market,” the shop assistant tells her. “It’s a Huawei phone,” he points out.
“Oh no,” the woman quickly replies. “Those are the phones that spy on you, aren’t they?”
As a bellwether for a generation of people in Ireland who watch and listen to the news on a daily basis, it’s a stark reminder of the influence the current US administration has globally, and the ongoing crises that Huawei faces 9,800 kilometres away.
It’s with this backdrop Arabian Business visits the global giant at its sprawling headquarters on the outskirts of Shenzhen to discover what actually lies behind the spying allegations, and why the privately-owned company is in the crosshairs of US trade officials, and more vocally, President Donald Trump.
As the world’s biggest supplier of telecommunications networking equipment and number-two smartphone manufacturer, Huawei has emerged as one of the central figures in the worsening US-China trade rivalry.