Ren Zhengfei

"Academic freedom is the foundation of innovation. The freedom to have different academic ideas and to study whatever you want is very important. Undoubtedly, the US has the worlds most innovation-friendly environment. Thanks to the Internet, people have easier access to information. Science and engineering papers have nothing to do with ideology, so they can be published and shared all over the world."

"Huawei is a company, not a political entity. We aim to provide high-quality information services to humanity. With this ideal in mind, we work even in the toughest environments, such as high mountains, rainforests, and many remote areas in Africa."

"I personally believe that politics and the economy can be and should be separated."

"Ren Zhengfei’s initial career in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) shapes the ideological and operational framework for Huawei’s emergence. Although Huawei asserts it is a private enterprise owned by its employees via an “employee stock ownership plan,” [Eva] Dou highlights the complexities of this narrative, given Ren’s strong military connections and allegiance to the CCP. His role as a military technologist during the Cultural Revolution—an era when engineers were frequently marginalized—granted him unique credibility within the Party and introduced him to the values of secrecy and discipline that would later become integral to Huawei’s culture."