Huawei: ‘the factory will be built in France, regardless of what the government says’

While the company did not specify where in the country this new factory would be built or when it might be operational, Huawei did say that it would invest over EUR 200 million and create 500 new jobs. The Chinese company’s decision to build the factory in France has been seen as strategy to ease worldwide concerns about its equipment being used for spying. Huawei has consistently denied that its equipment poses any security risk but is currently barred from doing 5G-related business in several countries. Now the company is doubling down that the factory will be built in France, regardless of what the French government might decide about its possibility to conduct business in the country. “The plant will be built in France, whatever the French government’s decision, as it is part of our strategy,” Huawei France’s deputy chief executive Minggang Zhang told Reuters. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, said last week that the Chinese company’s investment in the country will not have any influence over the government’s stance on the main three 5G equipment suppliers. Huawei, along side Ericsson and Nokia, are all allowed to conduct business in France, however, sources close to the local telecom industry says that the is a risk that Huawei will be barred even if there is no formal restriction or ban, the Reuters report continues.