SHENZHEN: Long before President Donald Trump threatened to cut off Huawei's access to U.S. technology, the Chinese telecom equipment maker was pouring money into research that reduces its need for American suppliers.

Huawei's founder says instead of crippling the company, the export curbs are making it a tougher competitor, forcing managers to focus resources on their most important products.

Little-known to Americans, Huawei Technologies Ltd. is the No. 2 smartphone brand. It's also the biggest maker of switching gear for phone networks. Its equipment is used by 45 of the 50 biggest global phone carriers.

Huawei is a pioneer in the emerging field of next-generation, or 5G, telecoms, that will bring faster internet and support self-driving cars and other futuristic applications. That fuels Western security concerns and makes 5G politically sensitive.