DHAKA: Huawei Technologies said the Chinese telecommunications-equipment maker plans to increase investment and hiring in Europe as part of an effort to change perceptions of a company he acknowledged has been seen as ‘mysterious’.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, president Ren Zhengfei said the company he founded is investing and opening itself up in an effort to build trust with foreign customers and governments.

Huawei has faced allegations in the US that it is a security risk, as well as the threat of an European Union investigation into allegations that China is dumping or subsidizing mobile equipment. 

‘My reluctance to meet with the media has been used as a reason to label Huawei as a mysterious company,’ Ren said, reports telecompaper.com.

In a few years, ‘our idea is to make people perceive Huawei as a European company,’ he said.

As part of the push, Huawei will increase investment in European research and development, and will extend an employee incentive plan to all key non-Chinese employees this year in order to attract and keep top talent, Ren said. 

BDST: 1724 HRS, MAY 06, 2014