Huawei projects double-digit growth in carrier business

Huawei Technologies Co expects to post double-digit growth in its carrier business unit this year, as the Chinese company believes that global investments into 5G will be value-driven, reliable and generate more growth opportunities.

Hu Houkun, rotating chairman at Huawei, said in the past three years, telecom carriers worldwide have changed their attitudes toward 5G, from having an unclear picture to being disoriented to now entertaining a clear and pragmatic view of investment into the fifth-generation mobile wireless technology.

"5G investment will be more value-driven, reliable and solid, which will generate new drivers of growth for us, " Hu said.

The company's carrier business, which includes Huawei's telecom equipment and services, recorded about one percent loss in revenue in 2018, as it faces security allegations in some markets. Huawei has repeatedly said such allegations are groundless and not backed by factual evidence.

"Personally, cybersecurity is not a political challenge. It is, in essence, a technical challenge. Huawei's position is that we need a systematic and well-accepted frame to help us understand cybersecurity risks and cooperate with others to prevent such risks," Hu said.

According to him, if the discussions on cybersecurity are politicized, it will be a very big challenge not only for companies, but also for trade relations. It will also result in fragmentation of technology, which will harm the development of the global telecom industry.