During a conversation with students and academics, Ren, who is now 80, highlighted the unique strengths of American innovation culture, attributing much of the country’s success in science and technology to its open and welcoming approach to new ideas. His remarks were published on Thursday on the website of the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), a prominent global competition in coding for university students, South China Morning Post reports.

Ren commended the US for setting a global standard of openness, which he believes is crucial for progress. The US has set an example for all countries and companies worldwide on being open, he argued in front of attendees at the Huawei-sponsored event. He cautioned that if someone is closed off, it will fall behind, emphasizing that the ability to adapt and embrace ideas from all corners of the world is essential for technological growth and advancement.Since Huawei was added to the US trade blacklist in May 2019, the company has been barred from accessing hardware, software, and services from American high-tech suppliers.

Additional restrictions implemented in 2020 further curtailed Huawei’s access to advanced semiconductors developed with US technology, regardless of where these components were manufactured. These restrictions have not only limited Huawei’s direct supply lines but have also affected its ability to source the cutting-edge tech it previously relied on to remain competitive on the global stage.

This is not the first time that Ren Zhengfei has praised US companies.

Back in 2019, Huawei’s founder and CEO consistently acknowledged Apple’s technology and market leadership, even as Huawei has emerged as a global tech giant.

In 2019, Ren remarked that his family used iPhones while abroad, emphasizing that loyalty to Huawei as a company didn’t imply exclusive use of its products. He described Apple as a pioneer in the tech industry, calling it the world’s leading company and admitting that Apple had always been an inspiration, describing it as a “teacher” advancing the field ahead of Huawei.

His admiration for Apple’s innovation was evident when his daughter, Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s CFO, was arrested in 2018 with a MacBook, iPad, and iPhone among her possessions, highlighting the respect the family held for Apple products.

Ren has also shown consistent appreciation for Apple’s contribution to advancing 5G technology, including the launch of the iPhone 12 series in 2020. He recognized the iPhone 12 as having some of the finest 5G capabilities in the market, calling it back then “the world’s best”, citing its impressive download speeds of 1.82 Gbps.

By noting Apple’s excellence in 5G technology, Ren also indirectly emphasized Huawei’s position as the top supplier of networking equipment, suggesting that high-performance devices like Apple’s iPhones benefited greatly from Huawei’s robust 5G infrastructure.

Ren’s praise for Apple extended beyond technological achievements to its stronghold in the premium phone sector. He saw Apple’s success in this area as a positive reflection on Huawei’s networking equipment, particularly in Europe, where many high-end device users rely on iPhones.