Photo taken on Nov. 20, 2019 shows Huawei's exhibition booth during a press preview for the 2019 World 5G Convention in Beijing, capital of China.(Xinhua/Li Xin)

Huawei's total number of employees worldwide reached a record high of 194,000 as of the end of 2019, of which 96,000 were research and development members, accounting for 49 percent of its total staff, a Huawei report showed.

The firm had 188,000 staff at the end of 2018.

According to the report, Huawei employees come from 157 countries and regions around the world. Meanwhile, the firm has been promoting the localization process of overseas employees. Last year, the total number of overseas employees exceeded 37,000, and the average localization rate of overseas employees was about 67 percent. Huawei said that it insists on hiring local employees in different countries first, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or religious beliefs, adding that they will all have the same learning and development opportunities. 

Huawei is a 100 percent employee-owned private company. It implements an employee stock ownership plan through labor unions. And no government department or organization holds Huawei shares, the firm said.

Chairman Liang Hua said in the report that Huawei had faced a difficult external environment over the past year. All employees made efforts to fix "holes," overcome difficulties and challenges, ensure business continuity, and guarantee services to customers.

The Chinese tech giant has been facing an intensified crackdown from the US. In May this year, the Trump administration moved to block global chip supplies to the already blacklisted Huawei.

Global Times