Huawei lawsuit against US: Can the firm succeed at what Kaspersky failed?

Huawei Technologies Co., the Chinese telecom giant facing multiple criminal indictments in the US, is expanding on a Russian company’s failed legal argument to bolster its claim that American authorities have gone too far in trying to protect national security.

In a federal lawsuit filed this week in Texas, Huawei claims a US ban on government purchases of its equipment violates the Constitution and could kill the company. The restrictions were imposed in 2018 because American authorities determined there was a risk Huawei products could be used by China for illegal surveillance.

While the courts last year shot down a similar protest by Russian software maker Kaspersky Lab, Huawei contends its case is different because the ban was expanded to include anyone doing business with the government. Legal experts say the lawsuit is a long shot, but the company’s argument is part of its aggressive campaign to combat US allegations of bank fraud, technology theft and spying.