Huawei unearths corruption in internal investigation

116 employees suspected of soliciting and accepting bribes from external sales agents

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has found some of its employees guilty of soliciting and accepting bribes.

The firm has determined that four employees are guilty of corruption, while other employees are also being investigated, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The company has since held discussions with employees and reminded them that the company has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bribery, the source said.

However, chief executive Ken Hu told the Financial Times that this was a "routine investigation" that is completed on an annual basis and was therefore "nothing new".

Although the exact nature of the corruption charges has not been revealed, local Chinese media outlet Caixin said that 116 employees had been implicated in soliciting and accepting bribes from external sales agents in exchange for rebates.

"Huawei has a very clear policy on what constitutes acceptable business practice and we expect all our employees to comply fully with these standards," a Huawei spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.

"Where evidence is presented that any of our employees has failed to meet those standards, we take appropriate action," the spokesperson added.

Over the past 12 months, Huawei has been investigated in Uganda and Zimbabwe over the means by which it won telecoms contracts in those countries.