Huawei boss boasts of training 300,000 students every year as US Republicans squabble over skilled immigration

Following the gently defiant theme of recent years, Meng (pictured) opened by making indirect reference to America’s efforts to ruin the company. “Over the past six years, we have experienced countless moments of darkness, frustration, and bewilderment,” she said. Not least of which will have been her own multi-year detention in Canada, at US request while it attempted, and failed, to find something to arrest her on.

She went on to thank anyone that has worked with Huawei over the past year, inferring they knowingly assisted its defiance of the US. “I'd like to thank our ecosystem partners for fighting and exploring alongside us,” said Meng, before going on to the inevitable list of her company’s stoical achievements over the past year.

A technology that stood out as one Huawei is going big on in contrast to its competitors is ‘5G New Calling’. It has been around since 2023 to little fanfare but Meng claimed Huawei assisted in the first such call in the Americas, which used the technology to automatically translate a conversation between Portuguese and English speakers. They were also able to project avatars of themselves, although how this enhanced the experience was unclear.

Perhaps the most juicy part of her speech concerned the many ways through which Meng claimed Huawei is expanding its presence and influence around the world. “Huawei works with more than 3,000 universities in over 110 countries and regions,” she said. “Through the Huawei ICT Academy, we train more than 300,000 students every year.” Considered worthy of note was the DigitALL Night event at Huawei Connect in Paris late last year, which was apparently attended by 2,000 young French professionals.

These revelations were especially timely given the heated debate currently taking place in the upper echelons of the US Republican party, which will take the reins of power this month. Billionaire Elon Musk, who is now also a member of President Trump’s inner circle, recently opined that the US needs to get better at attracting and accepting top overseas talent. However, some other Republicans seemed to resent the suggestion that the US doesn’t produce enough talent of its own and questioned how this view can be reconciled with Trump’s broader protectionist philosophy.

Elsewhere Light Reading reports that in spite of the efforts of the US and its allies, “Huawei remains a vigorous force in most of Europe's big economies.” It seems that around a third of all 5G sites across the EU still use Chinese kit and that number apparently isn't falling. Europe quite likes doing business with China, you see, so it faces an impossible dilemma in trying to balance the interests and demands of the world’s two biggest economies.

Amid consistent talk of fighting and winning tough battles, as well as a persistent metaphor concerning light shining defiantly against oppressive darkness, here’s how Meng concluded her speech. “We grow through dedication, but we mature through challenge. In these uneasy days, we have to strive to do extraordinary things. 2025 is a new year, a new start, and a new journey. Together, let's move forward to reach for the brightest stars.”