Huawei secretly supports US research by awarding millions in prizes | World News

Huawei Technologies Co., the Chinese telecommunications giant blacklisted by the US, is secretly funding cutting-edge research at American universities including Harvard through an independent Washington-based foundation.

The revelation comes as documents and sources familiar with the matter indicate that Huawei is the sole funder of a research competition that has awarded millions of dollars since its inception in 2022. The competition has attracted proposals from scientists worldwide, including those from top US universities that have banned their researchers from working with the company.

The competition is administered by the Optica Foundation, an arm of the nonprofit professional society Optica, known for its research on light technologies. Despite Huawei’s significant financial contribution, the foundation does not publicly disclose the company as the funding source, keeping the relationship confidential.

While Huawei claims the funding is meant to support global research and academic communication, concerns have been raised about the lack of transparency surrounding the arrangement. Some experts suggest that the funding could allow Huawei to influence research projects and potentially acquire intellectual property in the future.

The news has sparked controversy among universities involved in the competition, with some institutions unaware of Huawei’s involvement until contacted by reporters. Questions have been raised about the implications of accepting funding from a company with ties to the Chinese government, especially in light of US restrictions on working with Huawei due to national security concerns.

As the story unfolds, the impact of Huawei’s secret funding on academic research and international relations remains to be seen.