China: Huawei won't be 'victimized like silent lambs' by U.S. ban

March 8 (UPI) -- The Chinese government on Friday backed a lawsuit by Huawei against the United States, which challenges a ban on federal employees owning products made by the company.

Huawei filed the suit Wednesday, arguing the U.S. government has not shown proof that Huawei products pose a security risk. The National Defense Authorization Act last year barred devices from Huawei and fellow Chinese phone maker ZTE.

"China has and will continue to take all necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate and lawful interests of Chinese businesses and citizens," Beijing diplomat Wang Yi said Friday. "At the same time, we support the company and individual in question in seeking legal redress to protect their own interests and refusing to be victimized like silent lambs."

The "company and individual" refers to Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested in Canada in December and is open to extradition to the United States on fraud charges.

Wang said U.S. actions against Huawei and its executives are "by no means a pure judicial case, but a deliberate political move to bring them down."

Meng's attorneys are suing Canadian authorities, saying her constitutional rights were violated.

"People can tell right and wrong, justice will have its day," Wang said Friday. "What we're standing up for is not just the interests of a company, but also a country or nation's legitimate right to innovate."

Cybersecurity experts have warned the Huawei equipment could have "back doors" that Beijing could use for spying purposes.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei has given several rare interviews lately to defend the company, and the firm last month took out a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal titled, "Don't believe everything you hear. Come and see us."