Huawei Comeback 2025: Mate 60 Pro, Kirin 9000S & Startup Lessons

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiis in Beijing after seven years to attend the SCO Summit 2025, meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping amid global trade tensions, including Trump-era tariffs imposing 50% duties on Indian exports to the U.S. India’s strategic diplomacy demonstrates how a challenging situation can be transformed into an opportunity—a lesson mirrored by Huawei’s remarkable comeback despite severe U.S. sanctions and bans, including in India.

This story is a must-read for entrepreneurs and startup founders, highlighting how resilience, strategy, and innovation can turn near-defeat into market leadership.

Huawei’s Bold Return: Mate 60 Pro Surprise

On August 29, 2023, the tech world was blindsided—not by a keynote or viral marketing, but by Huawei quietly listing the Mate 60 Pro on its official website.

The real surprise: the Kirin 9000S, a 7-nanometer, full 5G-capable chip that experts believed could not exist under U.S. sanctions.

For observers, it was just a processor. For those following the U.S.–China tech war, it was a defiant declaration of resilience, showing Huawei had survived a near-fatal blockade.

Ren Zhengfei: From Scarcity to Strategic Vision

Huawei’s comeback is inseparable from its founder, Ren Zhengfei. Born in 1944 in rural Guizhou, Ren’s early life of hardship and political upheaval instilled the philosophy of chī kǔ—“eating bitterness.”

Ren’s career in the People’s Liberation Army Engineering Corps developed his skills in strategic planning, discipline, and large-scale project management—qualities later applied to Huawei.

In 1987, Ren founded Huawei with just $5,000, starting as a reseller of PBX telephone switches. When a key supplier pulled out in 1990, he pivoted to in-house R&D, launching the C&C08 digital switch in 1993—powerful, affordable, and a homegrown alternative to foreign telecom giants.

Huawei’s DNA: self-reliance, resilience, and technological mastery—principles guiding the company through its toughest periods.

Global Strategy: Surrounding the Cities

Huawei avoided direct confrontation with established telecom giants. Instead, it “surrounded the cities,” targeting underserved markets in Russia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

By combining low prices, flexible financing, and exceptional service, Huawei gained trust in regions competitors ignored. Notable feats included mobile networks on Mount Everest and disaster recovery in Japan.

Expansion into Europe was strategic: Huawei became a trusted partner, winning over operators like Vodafone, Orange, and Neuf Telecom.

Triumph and Tribulation: Surviving U.S. Sanctions

By 2018, Huawei had overtaken Apple and challenged Samsung with its proprietary Kirin chips and Mate and P series smartphones.

But in 2019, the U.S. Entity List cut access to Google Mobile Services and TSMC chips, paralyzing Huawei’s global smartphone business.

The 2018 arrest of CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada—daughter of Ren Zhengfei—was widely seen in China as “hostage diplomacy”, galvanizing domestic support and turning Huawei into a symbol of national pride.

The Comeback: Huawei’s Three-Front Offensive

Huawei launched a strategic three-front response:

1. Software Sovereignty – Accelerated development of HarmonyOS, an ecosystem independent of Google. By 2024, HarmonyOS captured 19% of China’s smartphone market, surpassing iOS.
2. Hardware Ingenuity – Partnered with SMIC to produce the Kirin 9000S chip domestically, using older DUV technology despite global restrictions, demonstrating technological independence.
3. Strategic Diversification – Expanded into cloud computing, AI, and intelligent automotive solutions, powering vehicles for SERES and Chery, converting R&D into profitable ventures.

The 2020 sale of Honor sub-brand freed resources for high-risk R&D while safeguarding supply chains—a lesson in disciplined strategic prioritization.

Entrepreneur Lessons from Huawei’s Resilient Comeback

Huawei’s story provides actionable insights for startups:

• Turn adversity into innovation – External challenges can unlock new opportunities.
• Invest in self-reliance – Build internal capabilities to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.
• Strategic patience wins – Focus on underserved markets for long-term advantage.
• Calculated risks matter – Survival may require bold, radical decisions.
• Obsess over customers – Exceptional service builds loyalty that endures market turbulence.

Challenges and Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

Huawei’s revival is remarkable but carries cautionary notes:

• Heavy reliance on China’s domestic market
• Massive R&D expenditure
• Persistent geopolitical scrutiny
• Gaps in advanced semiconductor technology

Entrepreneurs can learn from Huawei: resilience paired with sustainable growth is essential. Huawei thrived through calculated ingenuity, relentless focus, and decisive action, offering a blueprint for businesses navigating turbulent markets.

Huawei’s story is more than technology—it’s vision, grit, and strategy in action. It reminds entrepreneurs that even the toughest barriers can become springboards for success.