ISLAMABAD: Smartphones made by Chinese technology giant Huawei are expected to re-enter the Pakistani market soon, company officials have said.

Huawei’s executives in Pakistan told the media at a recent event that the re-launch was expected by the end of this year or by early 2024. The ceremony, organised to launch the company’s annual report for 2022, was aired in many countries, including Pakistan. The development comes as Huawei Chairman Eric Xu last week issued fighting words against US tech export restrictions on China.

He told reporters at a press conference that China’s chip industry would be “reborn” as a result of US sanctions. “I believe China’s semiconductor industry will not sit idly by but take efforts around ... self-strengthening and self-reliance,” Mr Xu said, according to an official translation of his comments.

“For Huawei, we will render our support to all such self-saving, self-strengthening and self-reliance efforts of the Chinese semiconductor industry,” he said.

Semiconductors have been a flash point in the US-China battle for tech supremacy. Over the past few years, the United States has attempted to cut China and Chinese firms off through sanctions and export restrictions.

Published in Dawn, April 5rd, 2023