Washington: The US Justice Department on Monday unveiled sweeping charges against Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei in two cases likely to ratchet up tensions between the two superpowers — including that of a top executive arrested in Canada on a US warrant.
The department unveiled 13 charges against Huawei Technologies, its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou — the daughter of the company’s founder who is currently out on bail in Canada — and two affiliates related to violating US sanctions on Iran. Meng’s case has sparked a major crisis between Beijing and Ottawa.
The indictment was unsealed as China’s top trade negotiator arrived in Washington for high-stakes talks with US officials, possibly complicating the discussions ahead of a March deadline to avert a deepening of their trade war. In addition, 10 US federal charges were filed against two Huawei affiliates for stealing robot technology from T-Mobile. “Both sets of charges expose Huawei’s brazen and persistent actions to exploit US companies and financial institutions, and to threaten the free and fair global marketplace,” said FBI director Christopher Wray.
China reacted furiously, saying there were “strong political manipulations” behind the case against Huawei. In a statement, Huawei denied “that it or its subsidiary or affiliate have committed any of the asserted violations of US law set forth in each of the indictments.”
The firm “is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms Meng (Wanzhou), and believes the US courts will ultimately reach the same conclusion,” it added.
Late on Monday, Canada’s Justice Department confirmed that officials had received a formal extradition request from the US, reported Canadian broadcaster CBC, with a hearing set for February 6.
