Report: U.S. probes whether Huawei violated U.S. export rules
The U.S. government is probing whether the Chinese company Huawei has violated U.S. export rules by shipping American technology to places like Syria and Iran, the New York Times reports.
The Commerce Department has reportedly subpoenaed the firm for information regarding the export and re-export of U.S. technology to Syria, Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan over the past five years. Huawei said in a statement to the New York Times that it is committed to complying with all rules and regulations wherever it operates. While the probe is reportedly ongoing, it does not mean the Commerce Department has accused Huawei of wrongdoing.
Still, as Huawei's competitor ZTE learned earlier this year, a Commerce Department investigation could have significant consequences. ZTE temporarily faced U.S. export restrictions and ended up overhauling its leadership team after the U.S. government reportedly learned it was selling equipment to Iran.
Huawei has been expanding its global reach, but it has yet to develop a significant presence in the U.S. -- in part because of government wariness. In 2012, Congress considered banning Huawei hardware over concerns of built-in espionage portals.