In a recent conversation with Chinese students and scholars, 80-year-old Ren Zhengfei said Huawei needs to learn from America's culture of acceptance, which has helped the country achieve scientific and technological progress .

The conversation was published on October 31 on the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) website.

“The United States has set an example for all countries and companies around the world to be open,” he said at the Huawei-sponsored event. “If a country closes its doors, it will fall behind.”

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Ren Zhengfei said Huawei had no choice but to develop its own tools due to the US embargo. Photo: Xinhua

Huawei has been banned from buying hardware, software and services from US high-tech suppliers since May 2019, when it was added to Washington's trade blacklist.

Trade restrictions imposed by the US government in 2020 further limited the company's access to advanced semiconductors developed or manufactured with US technology, regardless of where they were manufactured.

Since then, Huawei has transformed into the flagship of China's drive for technological self-sufficiency, from AI chips to operating systems.

In 2023, Huawei shocked the world by launching a series of smartphones containing advanced processors produced entirely domestically.

The mainland giant is also gradually reducing its dependence on Google's Android with its homegrown platform HarmonyOS.

The company is also developing AI chips to replace Nvidia's.

Huawei is set to launch a new smartphone – the Mate 70 – this month, according to Chinese media. If the information is accurate, it is the latest evidence that the company is gradually regaining the advantage it lost to Apple and Samsung.

Research firm CINNO pointed out that in August, for the first time in 46 months, Huawei smartphone sales surpassed iPhones.

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Huawei CEO Yu Chengdong speaks at the HarmonyOS NEXT launch event on October 22 in Shenzhen, China. Photo: Xinhua

SCMP sources revealed that Huawei ordered 50% more components for the Mate 70 than the Mate 60. The company is ready to release more than 1 million Mate 70s in the first batch.

According to sources, Huawei has sold about 12 million Mate 60s since the device went on sale in August 2023.

Linda Sui, senior director of research firm TechInsights, commented that the Mate 70 will be the third Huawei flagship to use a domestic chip, helping to strengthen the company's position in the high-end Chinese smartphone segment.

HarmonyOS operating system completely breaks away from Android, allowing deeper integration between hardware and software, creating a distinct advantage over its domestic competitors.

Speaking about AI at the event, Mr. Nham called it an “unstoppable” trend . “Similar to how trains, textiles, and ships revolutionized history, AI applications are revolutionizing our time.”

Huawei founder admits they are “still struggling”.

“Until today, we still dare not say for sure whether we can survive or not,” he said, stressing that Huawei lacks access to newer chips and technology compared to its competitors.

“American technology and tools are very good… but Huawei cannot use them; we have no choice but to create our own tools,” he said. “Opening up to innovation and using the advanced achievements of others is the real way forward for a company.”

Mr. Ren often expresses his admiration for America and Apple.

He admitted to being an Apple fan during a conversation with ICPC contestants last year.

At an internal meeting in 2021, he called on employees to learn science and technology from the US.

(According to SCMP, Yahoo)