Chinese Huawei Executive Is Charged With Espionage in Poland

Detention follows a U.S. push to dissuade allies around the world from using Huawei gear

The detention of a Huawei executive on espionage charges in Poland helps a U.S. push to dissuade allies around the world from using the Chinese company’s gear. WSJ’s Stu Woo explores how the arrest could affect Huawei.

Drew Hinshaw,

Dan Strumpf and

Yaroslav Trofimov

Updated Jan. 11, 2019 2:24 p.m. ET

Polish authorities arrested a sales director of Huawei Technologies Co. and charged him with conducting espionage on behalf of China, raising the stakes over Western allegations the global company is a spying tool for Beijing.

The Chinese national’s detention follows the December arrest of Huawei’s chief financial officer in Canada, at the U.S.’s request, on allegations the company violated U.S. sanctions on Iran. Unlike that case, the Polish charges relate directly to suspicions by Washington and other Western governments...