"It was the government that invited you and now you should leave."

That Huawei, the world's biggest telecommunications equipment provider, won't answer this question in China proves firstly its PR is rubbish, but also that it feels no compunction to explain its structure or how it operates. Such a culture within a company trickles from the top down.

It also shows why the Abbott Government quickly killed off suggestions it might lift the ban on Huawei tendering for work on Australia's National Broadband Network soon after it was elected. Despite all Huawei's lobbying those murmurings have not been heard for at least a year.

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It would be a mistake however to believe Huawei's attitude to transparency is universal among Chinese companies. Indeed, at the very next stop on Friday's government-organised tourthe space of half an hour the Financial Review was shown the new and old face of corporate China.

There's paranoid Huawei that will not answer questions and refuses to explain itself in any detail to its stake holders around the world. Then there's the likes of Green Valley, which represent a new, more open face to corporate China.

Let's hope we see more of the latter.

Angus Grigg is an investigative reporter based in Sydney. He has worked as a foreign correpondent in China and Indonesia, and has won two Walkley Awards. Connect with Angus on Twitter. Email Angus at agrigg@afr.com

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