China clashes with US over new Huawei accusations of intellectual property theft and North Korea dealings
- Indictment accuses Chinese telecoms giant of conspiring to steal intellectual property from US companies and of concealing business involvement with North Korea
- ‘US has used every tool to disrupt our normal business operations,’ Huawei says
Chinese and US officials clashed on Friday over the US Justice’s Department new criminal charges against Huawei Technologies.
On Thursday, the US unsealed a federal indictment accusing the Chinese telecoms giant of conspiring to steal intellectual property from six unnamed US companies and of covering up its business involvement with North Korea. The latest move adds to a series of existing charges against the company, including financial fraud.
Counts of racketeering, obstruction of justice and money laundering were also added to the case.
Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi, who also serves as China’s foreign minister, said he did not understand why the United States was trying to get its allies to attack a private company, according to Reuters.
He said there was no credible evidence that Huawei has a so-called back door that harms US security.
In a 433-word rebuke on Friday, Huawei called the new charges “political persecution”.