US' Huawei war moves into academia, scientists banned from reviewing papers

Huawei employs about 188,000 people around the world, and a fair minority are scientists and engineers

The continuing war between the US and Huawei Technologies Co. has moved into the world of ideas. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers announced this week that scientists affiliated with Huawei will no longer be permitted to serve as referees or editors for papers published in the private organization’s 200-odd journals.

This is a big deal. Journal referees review submitted articles long before they see the light of day and offer comments and recommendations, often on whether or not to publish. They are exposed to work the rest of the world has yet to see. Referee comments have long