Huawei will build factory in France whatever government decision on 5G equipment - executive

Huawei will build a factory in France whatever the French government's decision on whether to use the firm's equipment in its new 5G network, an executive at the Chinese telecoms giant said on Wednesday.

Huawei, the world's biggest telecom equipment maker, said last week that it planned to build a manufacturing plant in France to ease worldwide concerns stoked by US charges that Beijing could use its equipment for spying, which the group denies.

France's cybersecurity agency is currently screening 5G equipment, including from Huawei, for deployment in its new network.

"The plant will be built in France, whatever the French government's decision (on 5G), as it is part of our strategy," Huawei France's deputy chief executive Minggang Zhang told Reuters.