Huawei Units Plead Not Guilty to Trade Secret Theft Charges - Justice Dept

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Two equipment-manufacturing units of the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei pleaded not guilty in a US court to theft of trade secrets and wire fraud charges, the Justice Department said in a press release.

"Huawei Device Co., Ltd. and Huawei Device USA Inc. were arraigned today on charges of theft of trade secrets conspiracy, attempted theft of trade secrets, seven counts of wire fraud, and one count of obstruction of justice", the release said on Thursday. "The companies entered pleas of ‘not guilty".

Chief US District Judge Ricardo Martinez set trial for 2 March 2020, the release said. Charges against the two equipment manufacturing units follow multiple indictments announced last month against the parent company and the company’s chief financial officer in the T-Mobile case, as well as separate charges against Huawei for violating US sanctions on Iran.

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Huawei has recently faced allegations that it is linked to the Chinese government and even has been spying on its behalf, something that the company has vehemently denied. Last year, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States banned the Chinese telecommunications giant from participating in government contracts, while several other countries voiced their own concerns over Huawei's activities.

In February, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington would not share information with countries installing technology made by Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in their IT systems.

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