Ren Zhengfei

Quotes are word for word from the source.

• Avoiding mediocrity

  “I can summarize the painful lesson in one sentence: We must not slack off or allow mediocrity, and we must remain dedicated and inspire passion throughout the organization.”

  Our noteRen was discussing lessons learned from past organizational challenges.

• Benefits of competition

  “It's possible that having a strong competitor would encourage us to compete better.”

  Our noteHe was talking about the impact of market competition on Huawei.

• Focus on management

  “I've always been a pretty open person, actually, but I like to focus on internal management more than external publicity.”

  Our noteRen was explaining his personal leadership style and preference for privacy.

• Unity through pressure

  “Our fortress has let its guard down, and complacency has kicked in. But pressure from the US has forced us to be united and stick together.”

  Our noteHe was describing how external challenges revitalized the company's spirit.

• Strategic self reliance

  “We needed to be prepared, so that we wouldn't collapse and could be self-reliant when the US chose not to sell to us.”

  Our noteRen was explaining the long-term preparation for potential supply chain disruptions.

• Expertise over trust

  “technological expertise is more important than trust, because without expertise, products cannot be made, and trust will be meaningless.”

  Our noteHe was discussing the role of technology in international business relations.

• Engineer focus

  “Engineers should focus on developing good products. They don't need to read about politics. What's the point of them caring about political issues?”

  Our noteRen was emphasizing the importance of keeping technical staff focused on their work.

• Learning from rivals

  “Just because the US is trying to suppress us does not mean we do not recognize it as a teacher.”

  Our noteHe was speaking about maintaining an open mind toward American innovation despite tensions.

• Value in difficulty

  “First of all, we must cooperate with sincerity. When there are difficulties, that means we have done something others cannot and proves our value.”

  Our noteRen Zhengfei discusses the importance of sincerity and overcoming challenges during an internal forum.

• History of struggle

  “There has been no step forward in history that has been easy. We have gone through many twists and turns in the past century.”

  Our noteRen Zhengfei reflects on the difficult nature of progress and historical challenges.