Ren Zhengfei, founder of Huawei Technologies Co., has dismissed the impact of US export restrictions on China in a feature published on the front page of the Communist Partys People’s Daily. His comments come at a time when US-China trade negotiations are underway, with technology exports being a central issue. Ren, a prominent Chinese entrepreneur, told the publication he is unfazed by Washington’s efforts to block Chinese firms from accessing advanced US technology. He argued that domestic companies can turn to alternatives such as chip packaging and stacking techniques to achieve performance similar to that of high-end semiconductors.

He also expressed optimism about China’s potential to make significant progress in AI and software, especially with growing global trends toward open-source development. While the US has placed restrictions on chip design tools, Ren suggested those could be lifted depending on how trade discussions evolve. The timing of the article appears strategic, aligning with the second day of critical negotiations between the US and China over technology and rare earth exports. The presence of US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick highlights how crucial export control issues have become. Lutnick recently claimed that China still lacks the capacity to mass-produce advanced chips, implying that US restrictions are having a tangible effect. Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has noted that Chinese AI companies are becoming stronger, filling gaps left by US firms and developing competitive technologies.

Huawei, which started as a telecom and smartphone company, has since become one of China’s leading tech powerhouses, expanding into semiconductors, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence. Despite longstanding US concerns over its alleged ties to the Chinese government, Huawei maintains that it is an employee-owned company. Ren, a former officer in the People’s Liberation Army, has become a key figure in China’s tech narrative since Huawei was added to the US Entity List during the Trump administration. While those sanctions initially dealt a heavy blow to Huawei’s business, the company has since recovered, regaining smartphone market share, developing advanced chip technologies, and pushing into new markets like AI and EV software.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Bloomberg.