Huawei's Ren vows: 'Our gear will be the world's safest'

Huawei’s publicity-shy CEO Ren Zhengfei has made his first public remarks since a Congressional committee labeled the company a security threat.

And while he did not address the committee’s claims directly, Ren said Huawei was “determined to make internal adjustments to ensure that our equipment is the most secure, transparent, high-quality equipment in the world.”

Ren’s rare public disclosure was posted by Huawei cyber security chief John Suffolk on his personal blog following a private meeting between the two. Ren gave his permission for his comments to be published.

The 68-year-old former PLA officer has never been interviewed by the foreign media and has not talked to the Chinese press for more than a decade, although his remarks at internal staff meetings are sometimes relayed to the Chinese media.

Despite his long public silences, Ren’s role in creating China’s largest private-sector business has made him one of the country’s most feted business leaders. In contrast, his refusal to attend the recent Washington hearings sharpened the image of Huawei as a firm operating in the Chinese shadows, unwilling or unable to explain itself.

In the event, Ren did not elaborate on how the vendor would improve security, but Suffolk cited the company’s existing policies - for example, ensuring equipment is “transparent so people can inspect what is passing through,” and that hardware was interchangeable so customers can mix and match with vendor software.

Unlike his boss, Suffolk, a former UK government CIO, was not afraid to make a political point:

We hope that those who wish to close markets, stop competition and innovation under the false banner of national security will take the strategic customer focused lead of Mr Ren and pour their energies into creating a free market with substantial competition and innovation so all citizens can benefit.