US trial against China’s Huawei opens with prosecutor calling the company a criminal enterprise

A US trial against Chinese tech giant Huawei has begun in Brooklyn federal court, with prosecutors accusing the company of operating as a criminal enterprise for two decades. The government alleges Huawei stole trade secrets from US companies like Cisco and T-Mobile to gain an unfair competitive advantage and abused the US financial system. The defense, however, argues the case is about competition and innovation, not conspiracy or criminal conduct, attributing alleged incidents to individual employees. The charges, which began with bank fraud and sanctions violations related to Iran, have expanded to include racketeering. China's foreign ministry has expressed opposition to the US government's actions against Chinese enterprises.

Huawei Technologies' criminal trial in Brooklyn, New York, entered its second day of testimony on Thursday. On the opening day, a US government lawyer alleged that Huawei pursued "growth at any cost" through criminal activities. In contrast, Huawei's legal team stated that employees who violated company policies were disciplined. Huawei's lawyer also argued that the 2021 admission by executive Meng Wanzhou regarding sanctions violations on Iran should not be considered a confession, as she did not admit to deceiving officials or banks, nor did she acknowledge criminal intent by others at the company. Key witnesses are expected to testify as the trial continues.

Huawei Technologies' criminal trial in Brooklyn, New York, entered its second day of testimony on Thursday. On the opening day, a US government lawyer accused Huawei of engaging in criminal activities for "growth at any cost," alleging a "culture of crime" stemming from top leadership. In response, Huawei's defense lawyer stated that employees who violated company policies were punished. The defense also argued that Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's admission to violating US sanctions on Iran was part of a "negotiated statement of fact" and not a confession of criminal intent. The prosecution highlighted Meng's admission as evidence of Huawei's alleged "theft, lies [and] cover-ups" in its rise to prominence.