House of Huawei: Eva Dou of the Washington Post on Her New "Secret History" of Huawei

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May 21, 2025

Eva Dou, a technology reporter for the Washington Post and author of 'House of Huawei', dives deep into the company’s complex history. She discusses the impact of Meng Wanzhou's arrest on Huawei's international standing and media relations. Dou explores the influence of founder Ren Zhengfei's military background on company culture, the role of women in leadership, and Huawei's relationship with the Chinese state. She also sheds light on how U.S. sanctions have shaped the company's strategies and its significant involvement in 5G technology amid geopolitical tensions.

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INSIGHT

Ren Zhengfei's Unique Influences

Ren Zhengfei's PLA background shaped Huawei's discipline and mission-driven culture.
His father's intellectual influence and Cultural Revolution experiences deeply impacted Ren's political savvy.

INSIGHT

Women Leaders Shape Huawei

Huawei's management has had unusually high female leadership, including chairwomen and division heads.
This reflects an emphasis on emotional intelligence and relationship-building crucial for multinational success.

INSIGHT

Party Membership's Dual Role

Huawei employees’ Communist Party membership is higher than average, blending pragmatic political necessity with ideological support.
Ren Zhengfei stresses party loyalty as essential for working at Huawei.

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This week on Sinica, I chat with Eva Dou, technology reporter for the Washington Post, about her terrific new book about Huawei. From its prehistory to its fight for its life under tremendous U.S. pressure, she tells its story in a way that's both deeply engaging and very evenhanded.

04:53 – Meng Wanzhou’s case and its impact on media interest in Huawei

07:13 – How did Ren Zhengfei’s experiences in the PLA shape the corporate culture of Huawei?

10:21 – The impact of his father on Ren Zhengfei

13:42 – Women in Huawei’s leadership and Sun Yafang as a chairwoman

18:41 – Is Huawei a tool of the state?

23:21 – Edward Snowden’s revelations and how they influenced the perception of Huawei

26:34 – The Cisco lawsuit influence on the company’s approach to foreign markets

28:07 – Reasons for Huawei working with embargoed or sanctioned states

30:46 – Huawei’s international expansion

33:04 – Huawei’s management style and internal competition

36:33 – Meng Wenzhou’s detainment as a turning point for Huawei and China-U.S. relations

38:09 – Ren Zhengfei’s media campaign and narrative shift after the Meng affair

40:44 – Huawei’s involvement in Xinjiang’s surveillance

43:09 – Huawei’s success in shaping 5G standards despite global pushback

46:27 – The “Huawei index”: tracking Chinese investment abroad through Huawei’s market presence

48:35 – Huawei’s push into chip development amid sanctions: real progress or just hype?

52:23 – Huawei: a proxy, a leading or lagging indicator, or just a bellwether?

54:11 – Huawei’s “too big to fail” status: benefits and risks amid U.S. government pressure

56:29 – Huawei’s perspective on the backlash from sanctions

58:19 – Concluding question: about Huawei’s ownership and governance

Paying it forward: Raffaele Huang at The Wall Street Journal

Recommendations:

Eva: The Party's Interests Come First by Joseph Torigian; Yang Jie at The Wall Street Journal; Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Kaiser: Adolescence on Netflix; Kyle Chan's high-capacity.com

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