Former Prime Minister Yves Leterme (CD&V) previously worked as a consultant for the Chinese telecom company Huawei. Leterme confirmed this to VRT, which reported this on Saturday on its website.
The consultancy work, which occurred in 2019, was conducted through a major advisory firm. According to Leterme, he provided advice on how the Belgian government functions. He insists he never received instructions to approach politicians on behalf of Huawei.
At that time, Huawei was already controversial, having been blacklisted by the US government due to its ties with the Chinese government. Recently, Huawei has faced fresh scrutiny over allegations that its lobbyists may have bribed Members of the European Parliament.
The federal prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation, but VRT reports there is no evidence linking Leterme to this inquiry. A few years ago, Leterme also co-chaired a Chinese investment fund, ToJoy, for which he faced criticism from the European Parliament.
