Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment supplier, has launched a push to secure its first major US deal in the face of strong security concerns in Washington that the company is closely tied to the Chinese military.
Huawei was bidding to sell equipment needed for the expansion of the wireless broadband network of Sprint Nextel, the third largest American mobile operator, people close to the matter said.
The move would require at least an informal nod from the US government and represents Huawei's first serious foray into the US market since it was forced in 2008 to abandon a joint $2.2bn bid for 3Com, the US technology company, because of security concerns.