Hong Kong (CNN Business) Ren Zhengfei, the CEO and founder of embattled Chinese tech company Huawei, is defending US rival Apple.

Apple AAPL Asked in an interview with Bloomberg about calls in China to boycott, Ren said he would be opposed to any such retaliatory action from Beijing even as tensions with the United States escalate.

"That will not happen first of all, and second of all if that happens, I'll be the first to protest," Ren told Bloomberg.

"Apple is the world's leading company. If there was no Apple, there would be no mobile internet," Ren said. "Apple is my teacher, it's advancing in front of us, as a student why should I oppose my teacher?" he added.

The comments come as Ren's company is in crisis mode.