Huawei founder said Trump's investment tactics 'are all wrong'

Huawei's founder said on Wednesday that Trump's views on foreign investments in the US "were all wrong" and his administration should not single out the Chinese tech company or risk damaging America's international reputation.

"If this US administration always treats other countries, companies or individuals in a ferocious way, then no one would dare invest in the United States," Ren Zhengfei told CNN.

"We chose to have our voice heard at this moment because the US government considers us a threat to national security. They have to have evidence. Everybody in the world is talking about cybersecurity and they are singling out Huawei."

Regarding Trump, Ren said: "His tactics are all wrong. Trump should be more open-minded and willing to accept all types of investments. If he becomes more tolerant of the world, then all the US-bound investments would ensure another century of American prosperity."

Relations between Huawei and the US soured when CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested in December in Vancouver on charges of fraud and trading with Iran, putting it in breach of Washington's sanctions against Tehran.

The Chinese government backed Huawei and accused the US and Canada of infringing on Wanzhou’s human rights.

On several occasions, President Donald Trump has said he might stop the case against the Huawei chief financial officer if it meant an improvement in trade talks with China and would get both sides closer to a final deal.

According to the Financial Times, lawyers said Trump did have the power to do so, but they warned the move would have long-term legal and political ramifications with criminal prosecutions then being open to political interference. This would ultimately undermine the independence of the US judiciary system.

Justice Department officials insist the case against the Huawei CFO was a legal matter and had nothing to do with the Trump administration and the trade war.