Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei today said the U.S. underestimated his company's capabilities after Washington blocked the Chinese telecom giant from using American suppliers and technologies amid a bitter trade war.
The 75-year-old entrepreneur, worth $1.7 billion, said his company was fully prepared to face the ban from the Trump administration, but thanked his American business partners for helping Huawei grow along the years.
The owner of the world's second largest smartphone maker however admitted that his family actually preferred the products from its competitor Apple as they use iPhones instead of Huawei handsets.
Ren Zhengfei, 75, has spoken for the first time since his company Huawei was blocked from buying key parts and technologies from American suppliers by Washington amid a trade war
Google, whose Android operating system powers most of the world's smartphones, also said it would cut ties with Huawei. This means new Huawei phones won't be able to use Android
Ren made the remarks while speaking to a group of Chinese reporters in Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen this morning.
It is the first interview Ren has received since President Donald Trump last week issued orders to block Huawei and its 68 affiliations from buying key parts and components from American companies without special approval.
Google, whose Android operating system powers most of the world's smartphones, has also said it would cut ties with Huawei as a result of the ban - a move that analysts say could spell 'the beginning of the end' for Huawei.
The restrictions imposed on Huawei are the directly result of a tariff war between China and the U.S. Washington more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products earlier this month and Beijing retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on $60 billion of US goods
The U.S. said yesterday it would delay implementation of the ban for 90 days.
Previously, Washington has claimed that Huawei's gear could be used by China to spy on Americans - allegations Huawei has repeatedly denied.
In addition, Ren's daughter Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Huawei, was arrested in Canada in December and now facing criminal charges in the U.S.
Meng, widely considered as Ren's heiress, is accused of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.
Ren's daughter Meng Wanzhou (pictured) is facing criminal charges in the U.S. Meng was arrested in Vancouver by Canadian police in December under the request of Washington
