The Canberra Raiders and Huawei are unconcerned about the world-wide controversy surrounding the technology company and have signed on for another two years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Huawei have also taken up the naming-rights sponsorship of the Raiders centre of excellence at Braddon, with the total package believed to be in excess of $1 million per year.
Concerns over Huawei's ties with the Chinese government have seen the Australian government exclude them from the rollout of the 5G network, while the US government have put the technology giants on a trade blacklist.
But Huawei Australia chairman John Lord said that controversy wasn't an issue in extending their time with the Raiders.
They're currently in their eighth year as the Green Machine's major sponsor and announced extending that to 10 on the same spot they made the original announcement - in front of Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday.
Rather than being a message to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who will be a guest of the Raiders when they take on his beloved Cronulla Sharks, Lord said there was no significance in using that location other than that's where it all started in 2012.
Lord was hopeful the government would change their minds and allow Huawei to be part of the 5G rollout for two reasons - increased competition would help keep costs down and they were about "18 months" ahead of their competition when it came to 5G technology.
Huawei were already the Raiders' longest serving major sponsor, but Lord said they'd become a lot more than that - which was why they wanted to remain with the club.
He said the Raiders were fully on board with the work the company did with charities like Tour de Cure and the Clontarf Foundation, and they in turn were on board with the Ricky Stuart Foundation.
"It has become a partnership. That's no bull, that's not just a good PR story," he said.
"What started as a sponsorship, [Huawei corporate relations manager Lisa Connors] and [corporate affairs director Jeremy Mitchell] and their team have gotten so close with Ricky [Stuart] and his foundation and Don [Furner] and the rest of the Raiders team they actively plan the year doing all these events together.
"It's quite fantastic. I've been a loyal Raiders supporter since the '80s when I live in Canberra, so I have a vested interest, but they plan a year's activities quite separate to football.
"It's just been superb. And we really do feel strongly about that."
Huawei will also play a major role in the Raiders' new centre of excellence in Braddon, which should be completed in December.
They'll provide most of the centre's technology, which will now be named after them as well.
It's seen their sponsorship of the Raiders jump beyond $1 million per year.
"Their name is so well known because of all [the controversy]. We're not there for that," Raiders chief executive Furner said.
"Are we worried about the data that comes out of the back of the GPS of the players that goes into the tablet that Ricky looks at on game day?
"Maybe if Cronulla steal it we'd be worried. But it's not matters of concern for us."
Huawei initially sponsored the Raiders to get their name known in Australia.
It was their first venture in sport sponsorship, but has grown to now include English Premier League giants Arsenal and Champions League semi-finalist Ajax Amsterdam.
Furner said the fact those other clubs were now involved with one of the world's biggest telecommunications companies showed the Raiders' sponsorship had been a success.
He said if the Raiders had any concerns about Huawei they never would've gone on the "dance floor" with them.
"We've got a board that's above reproach. We wouldn't accept them if we had any concerns," Furner said.
"Matters of national security are for the government, we're an NRL team.
"For them to pick us, little old Canberra, little old Canberra Raiders, and stick with us it's massive for us."