Huawei steps up lobbying efforts in Washington as US-China trade war escalates
- Lobbying firm Sidley Austin will focus on export controls, trade sanctions and other national security topics
- The Chicago-based law firm also works on Huawei’s legal challenges in the US
Huawei Technologies has hired the law firm Sidley Austin to lobby on trade as the US pressures allies to join it in blacklisting the Chinese telecommunications giant, which finds itself increasingly mired in President Donald Trump’s trade war with Beijing.
The lobbying, which began in July, will focus on export controls, trade sanctions “and other national security-related topics”, according to a disclosure filed with the US Senate. The document shows that Huawei, the world’s largest telecoms equipment supplier, is deepening its ties to Sidley Austin as it already works on the company’s legal challenges in the US, while also ramping up its lobbying presence.
Only six weeks ago, following a meeting in Japan with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said he would delay imposing some restrictions on US companies’ sales to Huawei. The US even invited companies to apply for licences under an exemption to the Huawei trade ban.