![A saline-alkali tolerant rice farm in the city of Nantong in east China's Jiangsu Province in November, 2018. [Photo: IC]](http://img1.zhytuku.meldingcloud.com/images/zhycms_chinaplus/20190108/cfdc091d-4a08-4ef6-928e-458443695091.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,w_650)
Huawei has denied recent reports regarding the cooperation with renowned agriculturalist Yuan Longping, dubbed China’s “father of hybrid rice”, to develop “sea rice” that can grow on saline-alkali soil.
Through a statement posted on Weibo on Tuesday, Huawei said that the company has no plan to cultivate rice, and has never released such a statement.
Huawei’s rotating chairman Ken Hu was quoted in earlier reports in the Chinese media, but the statement didn’t explain whether Hu has misspoken or was misquoted.
“Sea rice”, which is developed by Yuan, refers to saline-alkali tolerant rice that can grow in saltwater and is also resistant to diseases and pests.
![Huawei posts a statement on Weibo on January 8, to deny the cooperation with agriculturalist Yuan Longping to develop "sea rice". [Photo: Weibo screenshot]](http://img2.zhytuku.meldingcloud.com/images/zhycms_chinaplus/20190108/89892cfc-ca7c-446c-b591-e55bb2707375.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,w_592)
