Huawei revenue growing fast, suggesting China's scoffing at sanctions

Asia In Brief Huawei chair Liang Hua last week told a conference in China that the company expects to meet its revenue targets for 2024, meaning it earned around ¥860 billion ($118.25 billion) – 22 percent growth compared to its 2023 result.

A Chinese outlet called Shenzen Business Daily reported Hua’s remarks, quoting the exec as saying Huawei’s information and communication technology business remains robust, while its consumer business is returning to growth, and a new smart car solutions business is “developing rapidly”.

Hua’s assertions about the state of Huawei’s business suggest the company has grown despite the many sanctions and bans that have seen its telecoms business barred in several countries. The mention of growth for its consumer business is also impressive, given the 2020 sale of its Honor smartphone brand and the fact that China’s economy is in the doldrums.

Japan proposes shift to hack-first cyber-defense stance

Japan’s cabinet last week tabled a bill that would allow the nation to move to an “active” cyber-defense stance that would allow “pre-emptive action” to protect critical infrastructure.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi last Friday explained the bill is necessary as Japan is attacked every day, and infrastructure is at risk. He said the bill aims to allow Japanese authorities to prevent attacks before they happen.

Japan’s constitution allows for only a minimum necessary level of self-defense capability, and for that to be deployed only against credible and imminent threats.

The proposed law also includes regulations that allow monitoring of telecommunications services, leading to concerns it could compromise citizens’ privacy.

Last week, Japan’s government also announced it will stop printing its official Gazette as of March 31st. Starting April 1st, the document will only be published in digital form. No joke.

China plans moon 'hopper' to visit craters

Chinese state media last week reported plans to launch a mission to the Moon’s south pole that includes a “hopper” capable of repeated flights across the lunar surface.

The hopper will fly on the Chang'e-7, scheduled to launch in 2026, and will jump from sunlit areas into to craters to search for water ice. The craft will land autonomously, using terrain-identification tech, and can even land on slopes.

The mission will also include an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. The mission has reached its final assembly and testing phase

Infosys sheds 700 staff, amid controversy

Indian workers’ rights org Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) has written to the nation’s Ministry of Labour & Employment to protest what it says was the improper termination of 700 staff by Infosys.

NITES’s letter [PDF] to the Ministry claims that Infosys recently all-but-compelled 700 recent recruits to leave the company, having already delayed their promised start dates by two years.

Infosys told Indian media the affected staff were let go after not passing internal tests. Infosys also disputes allegations it kept the recruits waiting two years for promised jobs.

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Thailand cuts power to slave camps

Thailand’s government last week cut power and internet services to regions of the country known to host camps at which criminals enslave people to run cyber-scams.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra promised more action to destroy the camps were on the agenda for her visit to China later in the week.

Japan’s high-end PCB-maker sold

FICT Limited, a Japanese manufacturer of high-end motherboards used by the HPC community, last week announced US private equity form MBK Partners and semiconductor testing outfit FormFactor have acquired the company. MBK will hold 80 percent of the company and FormFactor will own the rest.

The transaction will see 100 billion yen ($656.3 million) change hands

FICT’s hardware is found in the Fugaku supercomputer, rated Earth’s mightiest computing machine for 17 months in 2020 and 2021. The company specializes in high-end printed circuit boards.

Nissan backs out of Honda merger?

Japanese media report that Nissan has decided to back out of exploring a merger with Honda. The auto-makers considered the plan as a way to achieve the scale needed to compete with electric vehicle manufacturers. Taiwan’s giant contract manufacturer Foxconn apparently hoped to become involved in the merged entity, to satisfy its ambitions of expanding into the car industry. ®