by Jerry Dunleavy
The AP is taking cash from Huawei to run paid ads for the Chinese telecom which the U.S. has dubbed a national security threat.
The Associated Press is running paid public relations
advertisements on X and on the wire service’s own website on behalf of
Huawei as the blacklisted Chinese telecom behemoth and the CCP seek
influence over a key United Nations tech agency.
The U.S. government has long pointed to the national
security threat posed by Huawei and has sought to limit the firm’s
spread inside the United States and around the world. At the same time,
the AP took cash from the Chinese company to promote Huawei’s efforts to
burnish its image as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to influence the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and increase the penetration of Chinese telecoms and networks worldwide.
The paid tweet
by the AP — sent on Mar. 12 and now boasting more than 75 million views
— highlighted Huawei’s links to ITU and its efforts on the world stage,
and a paid article from Huawei published by the AP promoted Huawei’s efforts in AI. The tweets are clearly marked as "Paid advertisement."
"National Champion" firms
The U.S. National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence stated
in 2021 that “national champion” firms such as Huawei help “lead
development of AI technologies at home” and “advance state-directed
priorities that feed military and security programs.”
“China is the most capable competitor in the AI space, and
aims to displace the U.S. as the global AI leader by 2030,” the Office
of the Director of National Intelligence assessed
in March. “China is driving AI adoption at scale — both domestically
and internationally — by using its sizable talent pool, extensive
datasets, government funding, and burgeoning global partnerships.”
Neither Huawei nor the Associated Press responded to a request for comment from Just the News.
Tens of millions of views for a “Paid Advertisement from @Huawei”
The tweet by the AP from earlier this month noted that it was a “paid advertisement from @Huawei” and it touted Huawei’s role in hosting the TECH Cares Forum in Barcelona earlier this month.
“From AI infrastructure to biodiversity protection, Huawei
shined a light on both digital inclusion and conservation tech ahead of
Mobile World Congress 2026,” the AP said on X.
The video
in the AP tweet related to Huawei and the forum featured an interview
with Cosmas Zavazava, the director of the Telecommunication Development
Bureau at the ITU, who said, “Artificial intelligence has as its
foundation. We need local data, we need local infrastructure, we need
local talent.”
Zavazava has been the director
of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at ITU since 2023, and in
the past he led the Republic of Zimbabwe's Government Telecommunications
Agency and served as a senior diplomat for the African nation.
Zavazava’s curriculum vitae noted his previous ITU work in numerous countries, including China.
Huawei noted in its own separate press release
in March that Zavazava had “commended Huawei's achievements and work to
bridge the digital divide” and quoted the UN agency official as saying
that “I applaud Huawei's commitment to universal and meaningful
connectivity and I am proud of our strong and successful partnership."
The Chinese tech firm claimed
in its separate press release that “Huawei has provided digital
connectivity to 170 million people in remote areas across more than 80
countries, surpassing its pledge to the International Telecommunication
Union Partner2Connect Digital Coalition.”
AP video for Huawei highlights Chinese government’s influence efforts at UN agency
The AP video
from Huawei also included an interview with Lucia Prieto, a leader at
the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and a Tech4Nature
coordinator, who said that “for us, effective collaboration is about
bringing everyone on board, so we are collaborating with the
technological sector, we are working with Huawei.”
The tweet by the AP also linked to a paid Huawei advertisement published on the AP’s own website.
The top of the Huawei PR on the AP website noted that it was “Advertiser Content by Huawei” and directly linked to Huawei’s own web page about the TECH Cares Forum in March.
“The AI era offers life-changing opportunities for all –
but only if we can all access those opportunities. Huawei is committed
to bringing the benefits of the intelligent world to everyone,
connecting the unconnected, providing inclusive services and promoting
essential digital skills," the Huawei press release said. "Because
innovation has to do more than trigger economic efficiencies. Tech has
to care,” the linked Huawei website contended.
The Huawei website also said that a speech about
“delivering on our ITU Partner2Connect Pledge” featured Zavazava from
ITU and Yang Chaobin from Huawei, and that a speech on “driving digital
inclusion for a sustainable world” was given by Jeff Wang of Huawei.
Huawei said the forum also included a speech on “promoting inclusive development in the AI era” given by Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs, with the Huawei website featuring a quote from Sachs, who said
that “AI offers incredibly powerful tools that when combined with the
great digital networks Huawei enables, are completely transformative for
social inclusion and for economic advancement.”
Sachs is a regular at CCP-sponsored forums and on Chinese state media, where he predicts the end of U.S. primacy and lauds the rise of China. He wrote a 2018 piece for The Project Syndicate
titled “The War on Huawei” where he attacked the first Trump
Administration’s efforts to address the national security concerns posed
by the Chinese tech firm.
“The Trump administration's conflict with China has little
to do with US external imbalances, closed Chinese markets, or even
China’s alleged theft of intellectual property,” Sachs claimed. “It has
everything to do with containing China by limiting its access to foreign
markets, advanced technologies, global banking services, and perhaps
even U.S. universities.”
National Review wrote
in 2021 that Sachs “routinely takes Beijing’s line on a number of
issues, including COVID’s origins, China’s role in the world, and the
Uyghur genocide” and that “the Columbia professor has long expressed
views with a forgiving attitude toward authoritarian regimes, including
the Chinese Communist Party.”
The Free Beacon noted
in 2023 that Sachs “bashed the United States at a recent Chinese
Communist Party business forum, accusing American leaders of trying to
‘undermine’ Chinese companies like TikTok and ‘escalating’ a trade war
with Beijing” and that “Sachs's remarks have served as a useful
propaganda tool for Beijing.”
AP highlights “not-for-profit” status as it takes Chinese tech cash
The AP story paid for by Huawei included a pop-up screen seeking donations for the wire service.
“News without an agenda. AP is a not-for-profit
organization with no corporate parent, no shareholders, and no
government influence,” the AP contended. “Our mission is journalism, not
profit margins. Your donation supports independent reporting that
serves the public interest, not corporate shareholders.” The AP is a
cooperative venture funded mostly by member news organizations.
The paid advertising by Huawei on the AP website included a
lengthy press release-style description of the Chinese tech firm’s
actions in AI and elsewhere.
The press release/advert published by the AP included
quotes from Huawei Information and Communications Technology Business
Group CEO Yang Chaobin, who argued that “high-speed networks and robust
computing facilities are essential foundations for an inclusive and
sustainable AI era.”
The Huawei story on the AP website also quoted Jeff Wang,
the president of Huawei public affairs and communications, who said that
“to bridge the digital skills gap, Huawei works closely with
governments and partners to enhance digital access, deliver skills
training, and advance STEM education for underserved communities.”
The PR-style AP article for Huawei also featured a quote
from Zavazava of ITU, who said that “AI must strengthen meaningful
connectivity and support inclusive digital transformation.”
Huawei’s paid AP post contended that “answering this call
to action, Huawei said it has fulfilled its commitment under the ITU
Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to help expand connectivity in remote
regions. By the end of 2025, the company said its initiatives had
supported digital access for 170 million people in rural and underserved
areas across more than 80 countries.”
“This paid content was produced by AP Content Services and
approved by the advertiser, who is solely responsible for its accuracy
and any claims made,” the AP article’s disclaimer at the bottom said.
“The Associated Press news staff was not involved. The views expressed
are not necessarily those of the AP, and the AP does not endorse any
products, services or opinions mentioned.”
U.S. government has pushed back against Huawei for years
The House Intelligence Committee as far back as 2012 assessed
that “the risks associated with Huawei’s […] provision of equipment to
U.S. critical infrastructure could undermine core U.S. national security
interests” and said that Huawei poses “a security threat to the United
States and to our systems.”
Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei was a member
of the CCP and had served in the People’s Liberation Army. The heads of
the FBI, CIA, NSA, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence,
the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency all warned in 2018 against using Huawei services or equipment.
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China said
in 2019 that “Chinese security authorities continued to work with
domestic companies” — including Huawei — “to expand the reach and
analytical power of government surveillance systems.”
The Commerce Department also concluded in 2020 that “Huawei
is engaged in activities that are contrary to U.S. national security or
foreign policy interests and its non-U.S. affiliates pose a significant
risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security of
the United States.”
The FCC added Huawei to its blacklist as well, concluding
in 2020 that Huawei “poses a national security threat to our nation’s
communications networks and the communications supply chain.”
Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s CFO and the daughter of the
company’s founder, was arrested by Canadian authorities in December 2018
at the request of the U.S., indicted in the Eastern District of New York in January 2019, and charged with bank fraud and wire fraud as well as conspiracy to commit both, but after admitting her crimes was allowed to walk free by the Biden Administration in a deferred prosecution agreement in 2021.
CCP and Huawei have spent years trying to influence International Telecom Union
The Chinese Foreign Ministry in March announced
that it had sent a diplomatic delegation — Jiang Feng, the head of the
CCP’s mission to the African Union, along with other Chinese counselors —
to a meeting of the ITU.
“The meeting was chaired by Dr. Emmanuel Manasseh, Regional
Director for Africa of ITU,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. “Dr.
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, the Director of the Telecommunication
Development Bureau of ITU gave a detailed introduction to the work done
by ITU in promoting network interconnection and digital transformation
across the African continent since the World Telecommunication
Development Conference 2022. He expressed appreciation for China’s
active assistance in bridging the digital divide in Africa.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry added: “Jiang exchanged views
with the Regional Director for Africa and the Director of BDT of ITU,
and ambassadors from various countries. He introduced China’s
cooperation with Africa in the fields of telecommunication, digital
economy, and cybersecurity, which were highly praised by representatives
from all parties.”
The CCP’s targeting of the ITU has been happening for many years. The CCP propaganda outlet People’s Daily back in 2017 had touted
China’s efforts to influence the ITU with help at the time from Zhao
Houlin, the now-former secretary-general of the ITU, who had been a
Chinese government official before getting the UN gig.
"The Belt and Road Initiative recognizes the critical role
played by information and communication technology as a foundation for
development," said Zhao said in an interview with the Chinese state
media outlet at the time.
The Financial Times reported
in 2020 that “China has suggested a radical change to the way the
internet works to the UN” and that “Huawei, together with state-run
companies China Unicom and China Telecom, and the country’s Ministry of
Industry and Information Technology, jointly proposed a new standard for
core network technology, called ‘New IP’, at the UN’s International
Telecommunication Union.”
A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2020 similarly concluded
that “U.S. competitors, notably from authoritarian states, have
increased their interest and activism in the ITU, leading to concerns
that their outsized influence in standards setting may lead to the
bifurcation of the internet. Zhao Houlin is a Chinese national known for
highly favorable comments and decisions in support of Chinese
companies. China also has a memorandum of understanding between its Belt
and Road Initiative and the ITU’s operational efforts.”
The conservative Heritage Foundation also argued
in 2022 that “China has prioritized placing its citizens in positions
of influence in these standard-setting organizations and subsidizing the
participation of its companies in study groups, advisory groups,
conferences, and meetings that negotiate technical standards and
guidelines.”
“This expanded presence and influence is manifest in the
ITU. Houlin Zhao is completing his second term as Secretary-General.
During his tenure, he has deepened and institutionalized ties between
the ITU and Beijing, endorsed the Belt and Road Initiative, and
increased Chinese employment in the organization,” the think tank said.
“China also sends the largest delegations to ITU study groups and has
flooded them with proposed specifications and contributions. China leads
all nations with SEP applications. The goal is to make Chinese
standards global standards and thereby give Chinese companies greater
market share, increased revenues, and the inside track on
next-generation technologies.”
The think tank noted that “China sends the largest
delegation to the ITU’s various study groups and is also represented by
Huawei and other state-owned enterprises that are members” and that
“with the support of high-level ITU leadership, Huawei has introduced
some 2,000 new standard proposals to ITU study groups on topics
including 5G, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.”
Huawei said
that it “signed a Joint Declaration to drive digital development and
inclusive growth” with the UN agency “at the ITU’s Asia-Pacific Regional
Development Forum” in 2023.
“The two parties vowed to boost collaboration in six key
areas across Thailand and the Asia Pacific, including co-building open
and high-level dialogue platforms in Information and Communication
Technologies policy and regulation, joint research, inclusive
infrastructure, digital capacity-building, girls and youth empowerment,
and digital practice-sharing,” the Chinese tech firm said.
“I would like to acknowledge Huawei as one of our key
partners globally and in the region. They have been supporting the work
of the ITU in digital transformation from Latin America to Africa to
Asia Pacific,” Zavazava said at the time. “We would like to continue to
strengthen our working relationship, and the signing of this Declaration
is going to be impactful and transformative.”
Republicans in Congress warn about CCP influence inside the ITU
Dr. Melanie Hart, a China expert, testified
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2025. “The
United Nations International Telecom Union sets global telecom
standards. PRC national (and former PRC telecom ministry official) Zhao
Houlin served as ITU Secretary-General from 2015 to 2022, giving
Beijing an avenue to shape global telecom standards in ways that favored
Huawei and ZTE over non-PRC firms,” Hart argued.
“The Biden administration made ITU leadership a priority
from day one. The State Department identified and ran a compelling
candidate, Dorreen Boden-Martin, in the leadership election, and
launched a whole-of-Department effort to support her candidacy. In
September 2022, she won the member state vote for ITU Secretary-General,
defeating Russia's (and China's) attempt to put a former Russian
telecom ministry official and Huawei executive in that position.”
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, alongside eleven more Republican congressmen, warned
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and
War Secretary Pete Hegseth in September 2025 that “our foreign
adversaries leverage international standard-setting bodies, such as the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to advance their interests
at the expense of U.S. national and economic security.”
Pfluger warned about ITU’s ties to China’s Belt and Road
and the CCP’s efforts to lead the World Radiocommunication Conference.
“China’s coordinated strategy has involved … utilizing Belt and Road
partner countries in support of China’s telecommunications policies and
assuming leadership roles in international bodies such as the ITU and
WRC to formalize these positions globally,” Pfluger wrote. “This
coordinated approach allows China to influence global technology
standards and restrict the free flow of information domestically and
internationally.”
Pfluger added: “Hosting the WRC provides several
significant advantages, including setting the agenda, guiding
discussions, and influencing themes, thereby enabling the host country
to exert substantial “soft” influence over global telecommunications
standards and policies. China’s role as host thus raises concerns about
potential impacts on U.S. leadership in innovation and open, secure
communications.”
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media held a hearing
earlier in March titled, “U.S. Leadership at the World
Radiocommunication Conference 2027: Strategy and Challenges Ahead of
Shanghai.”
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., noted
this month that “the World Radiocommunication Conference – convened by
the International Telecommunication Union every four years – is one of
the most consequential global fora for spectrum policy” and lamented
that “next year’s conference will be hosted in Shanghai, and the Chinese
Communist Party will certainly be prepared to advance positions meant
to undermine the United States’ leadership.”
Former U.S. Ambassador Stephen Lang said
during the Senate hearing that “the stakes are high at the ITU” and
that "China is aggressively promoting its approach to digital technology
around the world — an approach that uses technology to restrict speech,
control assembly, and repress dissent.” Lang warned that the CCP “has
targeted the ITU as a venue for expanding its global technology reach.”
“It was a significant blow to U.S. interests when the ITU
Council, the organization’s governing body, voted to accept China’s
offer to host WRC-27 in Shanghai, despite the aggressive U.S.-led
diplomatic campaign to prevent such an outcome,” Lang said. “A Chinese
official will now be the presumptive chair of the conference, and
information security for the delegations attending will be a serious
concern.”
Jerry Dunleavy
Source: https://justthenews.com/accountability/media/associated-press-runs-paid-pr-ads-chinese-telecom-huawei-ccp-influences-un
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