Huawei CEO Says Company Doesn't Spy For China and Praises Trump in Rare Appearance

Huawei would never allow China's government to access customer data, even if Beijing requested it, the CEO and founder of the company repeatedly emphasized Tuesday, amid continued political pressure on the Chinese technology giant. From a report: In a rare sit down with international media, Ren Zhengfei addressed concerns raised by the U.S. government, which has warned that the company's equipment could allow the Chinese government to have a backdoor into a nation's telecommunications network. Ren, speaking Mandarin and using a company-provided translator, told the group that Huawei has never handed data to Beijing. 'When it comes to cybersecurity and privacy protection we are committed to be sided with our customers. We will never harm any nation or any individual,' Ren told the journalists assembled at Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen, China.

'China's ministry of foreign affairs has officially clarified that no law in China requires any company to install mandatory back doors. Huawei and me personally have never received any request from any government to provide improper information,' Ren added. But Ren actually praised the U.S. president. 'For President Trump as a person, I still believe he is a great president,' he said. 'In the sense that he was bold to slash taxes. And I think that's conducive for the development of industries in the United States.'

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