Fact Check: 10 Myths That Drive Huawei’s Media Narrative
Since 2005, and especially in recent years, much has been written about the use of equipment made by Chinese state-owned and affiliated entities in communications networks. Huawei, given its coziness with the Chinese government and purported threat of backdoors, has been deemed untrustworthy by countries like United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, USA, among others. Some countries have banned the equipment all together, like Australia, while others, such as UK and France, restrict its use in critical locations and in sensitive parts of the network.
Huawei has spent significant resources to cultivate several myths that they are a successful company and innocent victim of a trade war. Huawei’s corporate communication includes its financial statements and the microsite “Huawei Facts”. Huawei repeatedly claims that it shares the ”core values” of European nations, citing its belief in ”openness, innovation and rule of law.” It is interesting to question whether Huawei, China’s national champion, indeed shares Europe’s “core values” for human rights and freedom of expression.
Strand Consult’s new free report “Fact Check: 10 Myths That Drive Huawei’s Media Narrative” look at what Huawei calls “myths”.
Huawei claim among others
1. that security and trustworthiness are its corner-stone and that it supports Western values.
2. that its large R&D investments amount to 131 billion CYN ($18.4 billion) in 2019 and 100 billion CYN ($14 billion) in 2018, and that this investment is relevant for 5G.
3. that its financial information can be judged by the same standards as publicly traded companies.
4. that that it does steal s intellectual property be-cause it has its own.
5. that it has no special relationship with any government, including the government of China.
6. that Chinese law doesn’t require Huawei to engage in cyber-espionage or other espionage.
7. that, with a series of sponsored re-search, that restricting it from 5G infrastructure could increase a country’s investment costs 8-29 percent over the next decade, delay 5G access to millions of people, slow technological innovation, and reduce economic growth.
Huawei has a right to its own opinions, but not to its own facts. Companies are free to publish what they want on their website just as other parties are free to critique, Strand Consult has offered the evidence to counter Huawei’s ”factual” claims and the myths surrounding Huawei.
In the report Strand Consult debunks the 10 myths. The report creates much-needed transparency that many external actors have had difficulty creating. It is also helpful to educate observers to be more critical of Huawei’s corporate communication.
Contact Strand Consult to get your free copy of the report “Fact Check: 10 Myths That Drive Huawei’s Media Narrative”.
