Huawei, one of the top three smartphone manufacturers on the planet, just recently announced a new flagship device: the P20 and P20 Pro. Like most of its devices, Huawei’s new phones will attract plenty of attention internationally, but at the moment, the company (and its CEO, Richard Yu) are preoccupied with another issue.
Huawei has been making headlines in the United States in recent weeks not because of a phone launch, but because the US government has turned the Chinese vendor into a target. Citing security concerns, every major US carrier has declined to carry Huawei phones, and just days ago, Best Buy killed its partnership as well.
But Huawei’s Richard Yu isn’t backing down. One way or another, he will turn the US into a viable market. “We are committed to the US market and to earning the trust of US consumers by staying focused on delivering world-class products and innovation,” Yu told CNET in an email. “We would never compromise that trust.”
“The security risk concerns are based on groundless suspicions and are quite frankly unfair,” Yu added in his email exchange with CNET. “We welcome an open and transparent discussion if it is based on facts.”
Yu proceeded to point out that Huawei has a working relationship with 46 of the 50 global operators, and has done so by making security a priority. Yu also mentioned that Huawei currently employs 1,000 people in 13 US offices. While the company will continue to be successful with or without a US presence, it’s clear that Yu isn’t satisfied with the explanation that he has been given. Therefore, Huawei isn’t going away any time soon.
