China Telecom

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei and US chipmaker Qualcomm have agreed a cross-licence covering patents for 5G and artificial intelligence technologies. The deal lets each company use the other's patented innovations, reducing the risk of litigation between two of the industry's biggest patent holders. Observers see it as a rare example of technical cooperation between Chinese and American firms amid ongoing US-China tech tensions.

Qualcomm and Huawei have reached a multi-year agreement covering patent licensing between the two companies. The deal resolves licensing terms for Huawei's use of Qualcomm technologies, giving Qualcomm a recurring revenue stream from one of the world's largest smartphone makers despite ongoing US-China trade tensions and restrictions on Huawei's access to American technology.

Huawei and Qualcomm have announced a broad patent license agreement, according to a Huawei news release dated October 2026. The deal covers licensing of patents between the two companies, which remain major rivals in smartphone chips and telecoms equipment. The terms of the agreement, including its financial scope and the technologies covered, were not detailed in the announcement.