Huawei CEO Says Company Doesn't Spy For China and Praises Trump in Rare Appearance (cnbc.com)

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Huawei CEO Says Company Doesn't Spy For China and Praises Trump in Rare Appearance (cnbc.com)

Posted by msmash on Tuesday January 15, 2019 @02:00AM from the tussle-continues dept.

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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Canada by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 02:07 · Score: 5, Insightful

After the way China has chosen to treat Canadians over there I don't need Trump to encourage North America to stop consuming Chinese goods. I can do that myself.
1. Re:Canada by dryeo · 2019-01-15 04:11 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  They originally gave him 15 years. After the Huaweii incident, they seem to have decided to give him the death sentence and had a court session with the press invited to change the sentence. Inviting the press to a court session is seldom done.
  
  --
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
2. Re:Canada by lgw · 2019-01-15 05:03 · Score: 2
  
  After the way China has chosen to treat Canadians over there I don't need Trump to encourage North America to stop consuming Chinese goods. I can do that myself.
  You should hear how they treat anyone from Africa. Recurring police raids at your apartment to ransack the place to look for the drugs you're obviously selling, since you're from Africa. Couple times a year, apparently. With no protection from constitution nor tradition, the police just come in whenever they feel like it, no need for any cause probable or otherwise.
  I recently dumped my investments in China. With the rise of Emperor Xi they've been moving in the wrong direction on human rights.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
3. Re:Canada by derrickn · 2019-01-15 07:06 · Score: 3
  
  Sorry for the blatant what-about-ism but China exports far more fentanyl than it imports meth. And fentanyl is killing a hell of a lot more people than meth is. So please arrest all the exporters, too? Secondly, this isn't about the law in China - as others have pointed out, Canada doesn't currently approve of capital punishment but that is the concensus view and not exhaustive. Its certainly subject to change if the majority of the Canadian population chooses to change it . As opposed to China where the laws change according to the view of a tiny percentage of a percentage of the population (the party leadership) and is dictated to the sheep-ish population Thirdly - this *is* about how the Chinese media suddenly jumped on a two year old court case, followed by the Chinese judiciary suddenly and without any apparent new evidence (according to the Chinese defence lawyer for the case) exacting a re-trial and a savage new sentence. Note that the Chinese national who was convicted at the same time as the Canadian was given a suspended death sentence. Maybe the Canadian is more guilty than the Chinese national, and maybe death is the proper sentence for his crimes in China. Per point 2, that's not the issue - China's laws are China's laws - what's of concern is how the case has suddenly been amplified in what looks very much like an attempt at political manipulation.
4. Re:Canada by CanadianMacFan · 2019-01-15 10:10 · Score: 1
  
  So you've dumped your investments from the US too as they've been moving in the wrong direction on human rights these past couple of years. (Well more than that but it's sped up specifically these past two years.)
5. Re:Canada by lgw · 2019-01-15 14:14 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, there's always some asshole who thinks there's an equivalence between the US and China. No one needs that asshole, and he should probable move to Tumblr.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
Wow he figured it out! by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 02:09 · Score: 5, Insightful

Wow he figured it out that if you praise Trump, you get favorable treatment from him and his administration!
1. Re:Wow he figured it out! by jellomizer · 2019-01-15 02:20 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  I have worked with Bosses who were like Trump. They are easy to manipulate and control, and I can normally get my way without them making any fuss, and they will often stand behind me.
  Their Ego is their biggest flaw, you keep their ego happy and make them feel like they are the Big Boss man who we all love. They will most of the time give you free reign, as long after your done, he looks good.
  They are actually extremely ineffective as a Boss, an most people really don't like them, because if you cross their Ego there is hell to pay. And their Ego would trump (no pun intended) and greater good thinking or long term thinking. And as an employee who is manipulating the guy you are also competing against other employees who may be manipulating him in the other direction.
  
  --
  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
2. Re:Wow he figured it out! by allcoolnameswheretak · 2019-01-15 02:26 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Indeed. Trump is a classical narcissist who thinks he knows better than his specialized advisers, and who is convinced he understands defense and geopolitical strategy better than his generals, because he is "special".
  Really not intending to be polemic, but this is a very common trait among autocrats like Hitler, Stalin, Putin to a degree, though he is much, much smarter than the former about it.
  Narcissists are easily influenced by flatterers and surround themselves by yes-persons, since all with divergent opinions are driven out. Again something that can be observed in the Trump administration.
3. Re:Wow he figured it out! by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 02:51 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  I hate to speak positively for Trump, but he has created an economy which is booming, and is recession-proof. It might have stumbled here and there, but the Dow is almost recovered from the correction, and the US economy is in overdrive with no end in sight.
  Not many Presidents can claim to have an economy immune to bear markets or recessions.
4. Re:Wow he figured it out! by squiggleslash · 2019-01-15 04:42 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Not sure why this is modded so highly. The only money Iran got in the recent Iran deal was money that already belonged to it that we owed them. The "Promise not to build Nuclear Weapons" thing is, you know, a part of any anti-Nuclear treaty, why would you expect it not to be in there? And "Attack and kill Americans" isn't a thing Iran is currently involved in in any serious way, if it were we'd be at war already.
  The truth right now is that Iran is the one county in the Middle East (other than Israel, which we're already friends with) that's close (albeit still a way from) having a proper democracy and popular government. It's a country we were, until the mid-seventies, friends with, and it's a country that was, until the revolution, extremely Westernized.
  And here's the kicker: anything that promotes friendly relationships with the West undermines the religious government of Iran and strengthens the secular government. You feed into the "Great Satan" narrative by promoting treating Iran as lepers. You want to undermine Islamic fundamentalism? Make friends. Get Iran on good terms with the US. There's a lot of work to be done, some of the antagonism has legitimate roots (Iran suffered from terrible interference in its political affairs throughout most of the 20th Century until the revolution thanks to Britain and America) and has to be taken into account. But this whole "We're just enemies and we need to keep it that way" shit needs to end.
  Shame on those who would prefer war and would prefer it remain unstable and hostile.
  
  --
  You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
5. Re:Wow he figured it out! by gtall · 2019-01-15 04:48 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  A story about China and you bring up Iran? Obama didn't give billions of dollars to Iran, he merely allowed them to reclaim their money the U.S. had a hold upon.
  I wouldn't have signed that deal either with Iran, but there are plenty of foreign policy experts both within and without the U.S. Military who supported it. You must think of them as secret Obama supporters. And what is it Trump supporters still campaigning against Obama, he's not been president for 2 years. It leads me to think you want to deflect any blame for the current situation from Trump.
  Oh, and before you want argue that the Trump wants a militarily strong U.S., he was considering pulling out of NATO....just a little present for his main squeeze, Putin.
6. Re:Wow he figured it out! by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 10:30 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Stunning ignorance. About 10 years ago it was front page news with photos showing Iran revolutionary guard commandos directing mortar and artillery fire from Iranian made weapons onto US troops on Iraqi soil.
  Oh right we just need to suck their asshole and they will refer to us as the great slurper instead of satan.
  Whatever transgressions Iran has made against the US is nothing compared to transgressions of Saudi Arabia and Russia.
  It's not like the US is some fucking saint in any of this. CIA did meddle with leadership. The US military did shoot down Iran air flight 655 because the captain who fired the weapon wanted blood. We were allied with Saddam while we knew they were using chemical WMD against Iranians. We stood by and did nothing as atrocities were committed by allies just like we are doing in Yemen today.
  Saudi Arabia funds and promotes terrorism around the world including whacked fundi schools which form the ideological basis of ISIS. Saudi's have bankrolled numerous efforts which have directly resulted in the deaths of US soldiers in Iraq. I won't even start with 9/11 where 15/19 hijackers came from and the missing 28 pages from 9/11 commission report implicating Saudi government in the attacks.
  Russia's transgressions against this country by giving aid and assistance those we have engaged in conflict with directly resulting in dead Americans are vast and innumerable in every major conflict following WWII... Yet every US president republican or democrat always seeks to maintain the relationship.
  Iran is a fucked up no doubt about it but at least they are a real country unlike KSA. You don't make peace with your allies. Of the two I would much rather US make peace with Iran than have US leaders be seen continually kissing the ass of the literally inbred Saudis.
The real praise was... by Gabest · 2019-01-15 02:10 · Score: 1

We, very tiny penis, but white man, large penis.
Not dumb by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 02:11 · Score: 4, Insightful

They're not dumb. They're appealing to Trump's pride, which is the smart move. He seems to be motivated by being lauded. Will be interesting to see if he moves in their direction after they've sung his praises.
Very smart man. by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 02:13 · Score: 2, Insightful

Everyone knows the way to get what you want from Trump is to pander to his insecurities and praise him.
Turkey almost got to massacre the Kurds on that basis for example.
whereas .... by JasterBobaMereel · 2019-01-15 02:20 · Score: 1, Interesting

in the USA many companies are required to hand over your data.. and have done so ...

--
Puteulanus fenestra mortis
1. Re:whereas .... by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 02:35 · Score: 1
  
  The difference is that in China, the Chinese government has people on board of decision committes. Picture having CIA, DHS, IRS, or ICE officers in a company meeting calling the shots.
  Don't forget any venture on Chinese soil has to be owned 51% by Chinese.
  Totally different game. People whine about the US, but it no way compares to China's abuses.
  Having Huawei not help out the government is a joke, as a Chinese business is part of the Chinese government.
2. Re:whereas .... by Errol+backfiring · 2019-01-15 02:57 · Score: 1
  
  Picture having CIA, DHS, IRS, or ICE officers in a company meeting calling the shots.
  That's an easy one. Do you have harder challenges?
  
  People whine about the US, but it no way compares to China's abuses.
  On the contrary. The comparison is not only valid, but also extremely useful. If individual freedom really were the core value of the US, the comparison would have been laughable. Alas, The core value of the US seems to be the corporate freedom to take away the freedom of individuals.
  
  --
  Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!
3. Re:whereas .... by Luckyo · 2019-01-15 04:02 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  It's not just that. Every large company has a department that is specifically there to maintain political compliance. This department has ability to displace anyone in the company and is staffed by CCP officials who are picked by CCP itself and company has no real power over.
  That's why CEO of Huawei can openly state that government never made any requests like this to him. They didn't. They make such requests to CCP officials within the company who almost certainly handle the matter as an internal CCP policy that CEO has no real say in.
4. Re:whereas .... by larryjoe · 2019-01-15 04:52 · Score: 1
  
  in the USA many companies are required to hand over your data.. and have done so ...
  In the US, there do exist avenues for companies to fight such government requests and pressure, including court fights and fights in the public media. There are also avenues for individuals to fight such requests, including leaks and sabotage. We have seen examples of such in the US, but this does not happen in China.
  Although it is very likely that both the US and China put pressure on their companies to aid in international spying, the big difference is that avenues to fight or even express private disapproval do not exist in China. Companies, much like top government officials, exist because the government allows them to exist, and as seen over the last few years, that approval to exist can be canceled very quickly, with dire consequences for those individuals and their families.
5. Re:whereas .... by brit74 · 2019-01-15 06:05 · Score: 1
  
  The difference is that when US companies hand over data, companies fight against it and we hear about it. In China, the government has so much control, that the companies won't even admit the government has access to everything. There's a long list of companies that have been bullied into giving up user data to China in exchange for access to their market. Just lookup "Google" and "Dragonfly project" for an example. The game has always been "play by our rules or else" in China.
Re:Famous CEO quote by microbox · 2019-01-15 02:28 · Score: 2, Interesting

It's not just "china-first", it's "begger thy neighbor". At least the USA believes in win-win situations.

--

Like all pain, suffering is a signal that something isn't right
Re:Famous CEO quote by radja · 2019-01-15 02:34 · Score: 1, Insightful

communism isn't evil, but inevitably leads to a dictatorship. Communism is never reached, and will never work on a scale larger than a handful of people.

--

No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
--Sheikh Abd-Al-Kadir, 1587
Re:Famous CEO quote by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 03:24 · Score: 2, Interesting

Capitalism seems to be going down the same exact path. People are starving here in the US, just as they are in Venezuela. Problem is that failed capitalism is more common than failed socialist regimes. Take Zimbabwe for instance.
To boot, Venezuela has better health care than the US, believe it or not.
Yeah,right! Venezuela has better health care! Ha! LOL! So the fact that there's no meds isn't a problem there? The fact that people quit going because there's no reason to if they can't get help! Yeah, I'm sure all of those Venezuelans are so happy with their socialized health care right now! Really!
Yes a very small percent of people are starving in the US but ya know the WHOLE population of Venezuela has lost several pounds in the last few years and many have starved and died. You can't say that about US unless you are completely being dishonest. Don't look now but your liberal narrative is showing!
Zimbabwe, the ones that are begging the white farmers to come back after they realized their mistake? Oh yeah, great example you gave there!
That's why they're all coming here because US system is failed. LOL! The only problems we seem to be having is with those who come here and try to mess it up! Maybe it's not perfect but to say it's worse than any other country on the face of the planet is just ignorant. They coming to America! They coming to America! They coming to America! Today!
Careful wording by pablo_max · 2019-01-15 03:31 · Score: 1

.."even if Beijing requested it".
So far as I know... they do not "request" anything. They tell you to do it, and you do it. Unless you are keen to see family members vanish.
Re:Famous CEO quote by DigiShaman · 2019-01-15 03:32 · Score: 1

Capitalism is authoritarianism in the hands of all people. Communism is authoritarianism in the hands of a few ruling elite that also run the government/military.
One could say we already have the framework in place for Communism in America now. True capitalism died out with heavy frivolous regulation.
A functional government is supposed to be a referee, not the main player in a free enterprise system. Otherwise, it ain't free.

--
Life is not for the lazy.
Re:Blame Canada by Anonymous Coward · 2019-01-15 03:34 · Score: 4, Insightful

Murder isn't retaliation, it's trying to start a war.
"Unwritten" Rules by TheHawke · 2019-01-15 03:35 · Score: 1

This is one of those silent, unwritten, but well-known rule that if Beijing wants something, you comply, no questions asked. Or you wind up in a concentration camp building products out of Chinesium for us fat Yankees.
Irritating, I know, but what do you expect out of a country like that?

--
First rule of holes; When in one, stop digging.
1. Re:"Unwritten" Rules by TheHawke · 2019-01-23 06:00 · Score: 1
  
  Twenty five dollars for each instance that it is used, business or personal.
  
  --
  First rule of holes; When in one, stop digging.
Re: Famous CEO quote by c6gunner · 2019-01-15 04:05 · Score: 2

People are starving here in the US, just as they are in Venezuela
lol
Haven't seen this kind of propaganda since the USSR fell ...
Re:Adults don't do revenge by gDLL · 2019-01-15 04:39 · Score: 1

A) Adults don't do revenge. -- bwhahahahhaha.
And do you also believe in Santa Klaus ?
the most drug war loving country in the world by gDLL · 2019-01-15 04:40 · Score: 1

citation needed or else.
I heard... by NotFamous · 2019-01-15 05:32 · Score: 1

...that he did a pinky-swear, so it sounds legit.

--
Some settling may occur during posting.
Re: Famous CEO quote by gDLL · 2019-01-15 05:38 · Score: 1

+1
the communist PARTY by gDLL · 2019-01-15 05:40 · Score: 1

read this: PARTY. The country may be capitalistic, but the communist PARTY is STILL COMMUNIST son.
WHY WOULD THEY EVER ADMIT IT? by Rick+Schumann · 2019-01-15 06:10 · Score: 2

Oh, please.
Re:Blame Canada by Tablizer · 2019-01-15 06:33 · Score: 1

Canada has kidnapped a Huawei official on Trumped-up charges at the request of America.
That hasn't been determined yet in a court of law. Even the orange guy deserves "innocent until proven guilty".

--
Table-ized A.I.
you make it sound like it comes for free by iMadeGhostzilla · 2019-01-15 06:33 · Score: 1

Deciding to praise Trump comes with a price. If you don't believe it tell your coworkers Trump is a great president. You might get points with some and lose a ton of others, assuming your coworkers are mostly liberal.
So when you do it either because your customers are almost entirely conservatives, or you say it because you believe it.
1. Re:you make it sound like it comes for free by Shotgun · 2019-01-15 07:41 · Score: 2
  
  Get out of California echo chamber for a minute and you'll see how ridiculous you sound.
  The guy got elected President. More than "some" actually voted for him.
  
  --
  Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
  Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
2. Re:you make it sound like it comes for free by iMadeGhostzilla · 2019-01-15 08:09 · Score: 1
  
  Interesting, if you reread my post you'll see I'm saying that praising Trump in public -- which I've done on occasion -- comes with a price exactly because of the liberal echo chambers which I imagine many /.ers work in. I've made wrong conclusions on first glance too, proves that this is an emotional topic no matter how much one thinks he's rational.
3. Re:you make it sound like it comes for free by citylivin · 2019-01-15 10:00 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  "The guy got elected President. More than "some" actually voted for him."
  Exactly. Americans are stupid, period. We all learned that when GW bush was RE-elected...(if people didnt know that before with reagan, and others before that)
  The american "left" (really right wing by world standards) seems to think that america is schizophrenic, or that "good" americans are being manipulated by russia. When actually, no, the american public have been pretty much racist, classist, misogynistic, genocidal and ignorant since the countries founding. There is a reason that america has that reputation all over the world, and it wasnt started by trump. He is just the epitome of what the world already thinks most americans are like.
  I am sure there are the occasional "good hombres" like noam chomsky, but their numbers are like one in a million.
  
  --
  As a potential lottery winner, I totally support tax cuts for the wealthy
BS [Re:Special Advisors!!! Oh Noes!!!] by Tablizer · 2019-01-15 06:40 · Score: 4, Insightful

when they were "specialist advisors" to Obama.
So Obama is the one who crashed the US economy via banking deregulation? Buy a real history book, dude, not the Fox Edition. (Canada avoided much of the mortgage bubble slump by having sufficient regulations. It's also true that Bill Clinton, a Democrat, contributed to problematic banking dereg.)
And T uses drone strikes also.

--
Table-ized A.I.
My two cents by Hillie · 2019-01-15 07:29 · Score: 1

$0.01 - A CEO of a chinese technology company saying they refuse to give data to the government is extremely ridiculous and obviously untrue. The Chinese government requires by law this, in at least other instances. For example, Tesla is required to have their cars over their constantly give data to the Chinese government or they're not allowed to be in the country.
$0.01 - Praising of Trump is good TR (Trump Relations). History has shown that Trump tends to favor people who praise him, as can be seen during the history of his Presidency and Candidacy with Putin, Kim Jon Un, etc.
He pretty much will play niceities with anyone who praises him. This could be a way of them trying to get Trump to play nicely with them.

--
- Alex
Word games by ukoda · 2019-01-15 08:43 · Score: 1

Assuming nothing has been lost in translation he could be technically not lying.

"Huawei has never handed data to Beijing" because the Chinese government will simply take any data they want.

"Huawei and me personally have never received any request from any government to provide improper information" because it will not be a request, it will be a demand.

Bottom line here is you don't get to be a big company in China unless you work properly with government.
Re:Famous CEO quote by DigiShaman · 2019-01-15 09:42 · Score: 1

Capitalism is when kids are allowed to run a lemonade and hot-dog stand out in front of their house. Authoritarianism is when the police come and shut them down and issue the parents a fine.

--
Life is not for the lazy.