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ZTE USA's CEO is Actually Enjoying Washington's Probe

By - Source: Engadget | B 13 comments

The seemingly damning report is a good way to increase brand awareness.

ZTE USA CEO Lixin Cheng told Engadget during an interview at Mobile World Congress 2013 that he welcomes an investigation brought on by the U.S. government. Even more, it should increase brand awareness and help bring more jobs to U.S. citizens through increased sales.

Back in October 2012, Congress submitted a report by the Intelligence Committee claiming that both ZTE and Huawei pose as a threat to national security. The allegations were due to their ties to the Chinese government, and their refusal to cooperate with U.S. investigators.

"[U.S. companies thinking about buying from Huawei should] find another vendor if you care about your intellectual property; if you care about your consumers' privacy and you care about the national security of the United States of America," panel chairman Mike Rogers said on the CBS News program "60 Minutes."

Huawei is the world's second largest maker of routers, switches and telecoms equipment whereas ZTE ranks fifth. However ZTE ranks as fourth in the global mobile phone sector while Huawei resides in the sixth position. ZTE's U.S. revenues only make up 2 to 3-percent of its overall global revenues while Huawei generates around 4-percent here in the States. Locally, ZTE ranks sixth in phone sales and Huawei eighth, trailing behind Apple, Samsung, HTC and Motorola.

At the time of the report, ZTE said that it "profoundly disagreed" with claims that it is influenced or controlled by the Chinese government. "ZTE should not be a focus of this investigation to the exclusion of the much larger Western vendors," the company stated.

In addition to the report, U.S.-based network equipment maker Cisco Systems added to the dark cloud hovering over ZTE, stating that it severed its longstanding sales relationship with the company. Cisco said an internal investigation revealed that the Chinese firm sold Cisco's equipment to Iran.

Now five months later, ZTE USA's CEO seems happy that an investigation is underway, and claims that the government's report really hasn't affected business in the States. "It actually helps us build the brand," said Cheng. "When the report came out, it was such a high profile news and everyone was talking about ZTE. Some of our handset consumers may call the hotline and say, 'Hey, I have a phone from ZTE, do I have security concerns?' And of course, most people would find out no, there are no security concerns."

He went on to tell Engadget that despite what the report claims, ZTE is offering full cooperation with authorities, and that the company will try to disclose anything it can without hurting its business interests. "We always respect the U.S. local laws, the U.S. government and the U.S. legislators' duties to protect the national interests of the U.S.," he added. The government's report stated that ZTE failed to satisfy requests for documents which included "detailed information about formal relationships or regulatory interaction with Chinese authorities."

ZTE is reportedly trying to get back into the smartphone game by restructuring to cut costs. The company saw an estimated net loss of at least $400 million in 2012, and is working to regain the trust of local carriers as well as the American government. The recent accusations against China regarding hacks into The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times isn't helping ZTE build its defense, but the company, strangely enough, sees the report as a way to increase brand awareness.

"We're taking this opportunity to tell our story to the consumers, so I think that's our strategy," said the CEO.

The full report can be accessed via Engadget here.

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Top Comments
  • 16 Hide
    ddpruitt , February 28, 2013 8:44 PM
    If there's a problem because they're in China shouldn't we also check Apple, Sony, Motorola, Microsoft, Acer, Asus, Google, etc because most of their products are made in China???
Other Comments
  • 6 Hide
    spentshells , February 28, 2013 8:17 PM
    ZTE is ok I guess. Don't buy zte to protect mercia is a joke
  • 16 Hide
    ddpruitt , February 28, 2013 8:44 PM
    If there's a problem because they're in China shouldn't we also check Apple, Sony, Motorola, Microsoft, Acer, Asus, Google, etc because most of their products are made in China???
  • Display all 13 comments.
  • 2 Hide
    house70 , February 28, 2013 8:54 PM
    ddpruittIf there's a problem because they're in China shouldn't we also check Apple, Sony, Motorola, Microsoft, Acer, Asus, Google, etc because most of their products are made in China???

    Nah, just same fear-mongering that appeals to wannabe patriotards (for lack of a better term) that believe that anything not made in US is evil. That, amplified by local companies that see their earnings threatened, culminating in this stupid and ridiculous "probe".
    As if a company really wanting to use this tech to spy would actually deploy it inside hardware that is open to public geek's scrutiny... Geez, they tried really hard to do that already a few times (remember that stupid software CarrierIQ?). Who discovered it? Geeks. Why? Because you can not possibly expect to install something on a widely available piece of hardware and hope to get away with it.
  • 4 Hide
    DalaiLamar , February 28, 2013 9:04 PM
    Even if there is no security issue, I am sure the US government will be able to invent one.
  • 0 Hide
    hok , March 1, 2013 12:28 AM
    so hypocritical, so apple iphones tracking and logging of its customers is just "annoyance".... I jailbreak my phone JUST to block their tracking.

    If the government actually did their research they would know the American spying technology is leaps in front of Chinese tech. Its another one of US's distraction tactics to get away from real work like budget and jobs...
  • 5 Hide
    vmem , March 1, 2013 2:26 AM
    I must say, the selection of illustration is brilliant!
  • 0 Hide
    tick4me , March 1, 2013 6:57 AM
    try to install some free Chinese video apps and see if you can find trojans that comes with them.
  • 0 Hide
    velosteraptor , March 1, 2013 11:25 AM
    Quote:
    'Hey, I have a phone from ZTE, do I have security concerns?' And of course, most people would find out no, there are no security concerns."


    ...most..? so some of them really are bugged!!
  • 3 Hide
    Non-Euclidean , March 1, 2013 12:17 PM
    I havent seen so much ignorance in a series of posts before.

    The Chinese ignore every copyright/patent they can.
    They have been actively involved in stealing anyones tech they can to catch up.
    Their government finds nothing wrong with this behavior.
  • 0 Hide
    williamjuly2003 , March 1, 2013 3:08 PM
    ddpruittIf there's a problem because they're in China shouldn't we also check Apple, Sony, Motorola, Microsoft, Acer, Asus, Google, etc because most of their products are made in China???


    So your saying they will alter those companies product to include a backdoor so chinese hackers can steal information? Okay China is just going to alienate every big manufacturing company that does business with them to steal information........................
  • 0 Hide
    williamjuly2003 , March 1, 2013 3:17 PM
    house70Nah, just same fear-mongering that appeals to wannabe patriotards (for lack of a better term) that believe that anything not made in US is evil. That, amplified by local companies that see their earnings threatened, culminating in this stupid and ridiculous "probe". As if a company really wanting to use this tech to spy would actually deploy it inside hardware that is open to public geek's scrutiny... Geez, they tried really hard to do that already a few times (remember that stupid software CarrierIQ?). Who discovered it? Geeks. Why? Because you can not possibly expect to install something on a widely available piece of hardware and hope to get away with it.


    I am sorry China is constantly trying to steal economic information from the US and other countries. We should totally ignore a company that plans to sell IT infrastructure to the US because China doesn't have heavly control/own an company operating in there country.
  • 0 Hide
    TeraMedia , March 1, 2013 4:54 PM
    How many Chinese companies have paid remunerations to entities in the US for anything ever? The answer to this question is either:
    a) None
    b) A small number, not representative of the activity taking place or comparable to companies based in other countries, or
    c) A comparable number to companies based in other countries, in terms of footprint and activity.

    I don't know the answer to this question, but I suspect that it's (b). I haven't heard of China forcing companies or individuals there to make restitution to individuals or corporations based elsewhere. I have heard of China refusing requests for extradition, enforcement of laws and treaties, etc.

    If there are no repercussions to illegal activities by Chinese companies, then doing business with a company in China is like doing business with a drug cartel. They will only play by the rules until it is no longer in their best interest to do so. After that, god help you.

    And the worst of it is, this CEO guy almost sounds like he's smirking at us. Ugh.
  • 0 Hide
    f-14 , March 1, 2013 11:00 PM
    this made me laugh
    Quote:
    ZTE said that it "profoundly disagreed" with claims that it is influenced or controlled by the Chinese government.
    well since every company in china is state owned i fail to see how this claim can be substantiated as nothing happens behind the great firewall of china with out the governments approval