Huawei Technologies Co., a Chinese telecommunications giant blacklisted by the US, is secretly funding cutting-edge research at American universities, including Harvard, through an independent Washington-based foundation. The foundation, Optica, administers a research competition solely funded by Huawei, attracting top scientists worldwide. Huawei's involvement has sparked controversy due to concerns about national security and lack of transparency. Despite this, the foundation defends the partnership, emphasizing the support for global research and academic communication.