EU Commission: "I don't think China's Huawei donated masks expecting compensation"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Thierry Breton, European Union (EU) Commissioner for Industry, said regarding the donation of masks by Chinese telecommunications equipment company Huawei to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Europe, "I do not see it as something done with an expectation of return."

On the 1st (local time), Commissioner Breton responded to a foreign media question about whether Huawei's donation of medical supplies had any strings attached by saying, "Not at all," and added, "Having been a CEO myself, I know this approach does not work." He has experience managing French telecommunications company Orange and Atos.

Recently, Huawei sent millions of protective masks and medical gloves to Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Greece, and Switzerland, where COVID-19 is rapidly spreading. Subsequently, some criticized Huawei's actions as a move to encourage the use of 5G network equipment within the EU.

Commissioner Breton said, "I do not know any CEO who does something like this expecting compensation," emphasizing, "Not a single one." He also added that European companies funded by China played a role during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Commissioner Breton further stressed, "Only when we all come together can we overcome the current situation, and it will be possible when people unite themselves, within their countries, within the continent, and across continents."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.