Two state-run media outlets in China have come out with blistering attacks on the US related to the arrest in recent days of Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition here, saying the arrest is just a backdoor way for the US to try to hobble the company.
The arrest happened on December 1st, the same day President Trump met with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Argentina to discuss the continuing trade flap between the two countries, and the new editorials certainly ramp up the tension even more between the two countries.
An editorial from the state-run Global Times says, among other things, that the US is acting like a “despicable rogue” and that the arrest — which is ostensibly related to a suspicion of violating Iran trade sanctions — is a way for the US to kept Huawei’s growth in check. The editorial says the US is “resorting to a despicable rogue’s approach as it cannot stop Huawei’s 5G advance in the market” and “with the arrest, the US is sending signals to the international community that it is targeting Huawei.”
Another editorial from China Daily, which is likewise state-run, picks up that same point. It argues that what’s “undoubtedly true and proven is the US is trying to do whatever it can to contain Huawei’s expansion in the world simply because the company is the point man for China’s competitive technology companies.”
Not surprisingly, the Chinese government has demanded Meng be released and claimed that her arrest is a potential human rights violation.
As this news makes clear, Huawei is increasingly finding itself on the back foot when it comes to world affairs. As Business Insider notes, even before the arrest the US has been out front in criticizing the Chinese tech giant and trying to convince other countries’ that Huawei’s technology represents a security threat. Countries that have rejected the company’s technology include Japan, which said in recent days it would ban government purchases of Huawei (as well as ZTE) technology. Australia and New Zealand have taken similar action.
Huawei, meanwhile, put out this statement in response to the arrest:
Recently, our corporate CFO, Ms. Meng Wanzhou, was provisionally detained by the Canadian Authorities on behalf of the United States of America, which seeks the extradition of Ms. Meng Wanzhou to face unspecified charges in the Eastern District of New York, when she was transferring flights in Canada.
The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng. The company believes the Canadian and US legal systems will ultimately reach a just conclusion. Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, US and EU.
