Beijing to Washington: Stop ‘unreasonable crackdown’

China called on Washington yesterday to “stop the unreasonable crackdown” on Huawei after the U.S. escalated pressure on the tech giant by indicting it on charges of stealing technology and violating sanctions on Iran.

Beijing will “firmly defend” its companies, a foreign ministry statement said. It gave no indication whether Beijing might retaliate for the charges against Huawei Technologies Ltd., China’s first global tech brand and the biggest maker of network switching gear used by phone and internet companies.

Huawei denied committing any of the violations cited in Monday’s indictment by the Justice Department.

The charges are the most serious allegations yet against Huawei, which has spent a decade battling U.S. accusations that it is a front for Chinese spying and a security risk.

The Chinese foreign ministry complained Washington has “mobilized state power” to hurt Chinese companies “in an attempt to strangle fair and just operations” for political reasons.

“We strongly urge the United States to stop the unreasonable crackdown on Chinese companies including Huawei,” said the statement read on state TV. It said Beijing will defend the “lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies” but gave no details. AP