Huawei sides with Trump on 5G: 'US is lagging behind'

Huawei Chairman Guo Ping says President Donald Trump is right about the US limping toward 5G.

"I have noticed the president's Twitter, he said that US needs faster and smarter 5G, or even 6G in the future, and he has realized that the US is lagging behind in this respect, and I think his message is clear and correct," Guo told Reuters on Sunday. "We need to have unified standard that should be verifiable. It should not be based on politics."

Guo's comments follow a pair of Trump tweets on the topic late last week.

"I want 5G, and even 6G, technology in the United States as soon as possible. It is far more powerful, faster, and smarter than the current standard. American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind. There is no reason that we should be lagging behind on.........," the first tweet said.

"....something that is so obviously the future. I want the United States to win through competition, not by blocking out currently more advanced technologies. We must always be the leader in everything we do, especially when it comes to the very exciting world of technology!" the second tweet continued.

More than anything else in those tweets, the reference to 6G raised eyebrows.

The comments from Trump and Guo are the latest in what has proved to be a complicated relationship between the US government and Chinese equipment maker. Huawei has been accused of violating US sanctions on Iran, stealing US technology and spying for the Chinese government.  Huawei  has denied the accusations, a sentiment Guo reiterated to Reuters. On Monday, a bipartisan group of senators ratcheted up the pressure on Huawei, asking the federal government to consider banning the company's products from use in the US power grid.

On Sunday, Huawei showed off its new $2,600 5G foldable phone, Mate X at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.

Huawei declined to comment further.