Chinese Telecommunications Giant Huawei Posts Strong Sales This Year Despite US Blacklist

Huawei has continued to persevere despite a blacklist implemented by President Donald Trump earlier this year, as the Chinese telecommunications giant said that its sales rose by 24.4% in the first nine months of 2019 to the equivalent of $86 billion. In the first half of the year, sales rose by 23.2%.

Huawei also added that smartphone shipments in the first nine months of 2019 went up by 26% from over a year earlier, at a total of 185 million units.

The Trump administration blacklisted Huawei products in the U.S. earlier this year due to spying concerns from the Chinese government, although there have been some exemptions made. The move was a major blow to Huawei's global business.

The U.S. has also been attempting to convince allies to ban Huawei from its 5G infrastructure due to security concerns.

Germany said on Tuesday that it would allow Huawei to have access to its 5G network, which could have ramifications for the rest of the European continent. France and the U.K. are still deciding on the matter.

Huawei has praised Germany's 5G decision. "We welcome the move the German government has taken to create a level playing field for 5G network vendors," a Huawei spokesperson said. "Politicizing cybersecurity will only hinder technology development and social progress while doing nothing to address the security challenges all countries face."

Huawei has alleged that the U.S. has tried to disrupt its business operations in various ways. The company has alleged that the U.S. government has directed cyberattacks against its intranet and internal information systems and used law enforcement to intimidate its employees.

The company hasn't provided specific evidence to back up its allegations.

The U.S. and China are still negotiating in hopes of a deal to end their ongoing trade war. It's still unclear whether the Trump administration might back off of its strict stance on Huawei as part of the negotiations.