Huawei has a head start in the US-China tariff war: Can other brands learn from it?

As the trade tensions between the United States and China intensify, one company stands unusually resilient: Huawei has spent years preparing for this scenario, and now finds itself in a strong position. While Western firms scramble to adjust, Huawei’s long journey toward technological self-sufficiency is beginning to pay off.

A strategy born out of necessity

Huawei’s transformation began in 2019 when the U.S. banned its collaboration with American companies. This forced the Chinese tech giant to rethink its entire supply chain, develop its own operating system—HarmonyOS—and seek local partners for chip manufacturing. With SMIC stepping in after TSMC’s exit, Huawei began producing its own Kirin chips, a move that reduced its dependency on U.S. technology years ahead of the current crisis.

Winning the tariff war by default

With most ties to U.S. tech already severed, the impact of the recent tariffs on Huawei has been minimal. Unlike rivals that still rely on American hardware, software, or fabrication plants, Huawei operates primarily within China’s borders, serving a massive domestic market with little disruption. Its isolation, once seen as a disadvantage, now acts as a competitive shield.

What other brands can take away

Huawei’s response offers a blueprint for others: diversify suppliers, develop internal capabilities, and prepare for geopolitical shifts before they hit. Companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Realme could benefit by adopting parts of Huawei’s open-source HarmonyOS, especially if future restrictions target Google’s services. The key lesson? Resilience is not reactive—it’s strategic.