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Mr. Sun has been in communications design engineering for nearly 30 years. He began his career in the Shanxi Post and Telecommunications Design Institute in the 1990s, then later came to live and work in Shenzhen. There, he witnessed one equipment room after another come to life from his blueprints – and countless technologies go from concept to reality.

As a design engineer, Sun's job was to use design logic and specifications to piece together network structures. "It's like building a house," he said. "My role was to design the blueprints for the 'building' – or our customers' equipment rooms. We'd then deploy Huawei kit based on these blueprints so users could make calls and access the Internet."

Sun's experience with HuaweiTech began way back in the magazine's early days. "Back then, the Internet wasn't as widespread as it is today. We didn't have a lot of ways to access technical information." According to Sun, the General Engineer's Office in his company had subscribed to HuaweiTech. His office would receive a few copies every month, and everyone took turns reading through them. He remembered the first couple of times he flipped through them. It was always in spare moments while he was doing drafting work late into the night. Once, it took him almost the entire night to wrap his mind around the concept of softswitches. "I still remember that sense of accomplishment when everything finally clicked," he reminisced.

In those days, new technology was popping up left and right, but actually getting information about it was another story. HuaweiTech was a breath of fresh air. Sun was flipping through the magazine when he first learned about Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). The industry was still mulling over the direction the Internet would take, but "HuaweiTech was writing about how MPLS would be critical in the future," reflected Sun. "So I started paying attention. More than a decade later, it became the mainstay technology for network transmission."

Huawei's technical training had a similar impact on Sun. Not long after he began his career, Huawei engineers would travel to China Telecom Shanxi, bringing Huawei equipment with them for free training. They patiently explained every detail.

"A lot of vendors would clam up, saying everything was too confidential to share. But Huawei had some of the best technology out there and was always ready to open up." In those days, he went through nearly every technical document he could get his hands on. "Whenever we visited a neighboring company, they had stacks of Huawei training materials on their desks. We'd borrow some, take it back and dive right in. Knowledge was a scarce resource in those days, but Huawei was willing to share it."

Starting out as a complete greenhorn in the world of design engineering, Sun is now a senior architect at his design firm. Looking back, he's never forgotten how excited he used to get when a new issue of HuaweiTech landed. "It never had any fluff. It was always solid technical stuff with images, diagrams, and use cases. Everything was clear at a glance."

Speaking about the evolution of reading habits, he said with a bit of a smirk, "I have to admit I don't always dig into books as exhaustively as I used to, not with everything you need online these days. But whenever I flip through a magazine I feel particularly at home."

He identified himself as a reader with a preference for hard copies. "Screens tend to be distracting. Paper, on the other hand, creates a space for concentration, which is exactly what you need when learning about technology. A lot of young people nowadays tend to expect readily prepared answers and solutions when they encounter problems. When I was young and went to my seniors with questions, they would ask me, 'What's your take on this? What's the most reasonable approach?' You need to first think on your own before you reach out for support. HuaweiTech has been an immensely helpful tool for sussing out my own thoughts."

Nowadays, Sun doesn't find many paperback readers among his colleagues. During their lunchtime breaks, some prefer flipping through videos on their phones, while some like playing games. But he still likes a good book or magazine. Those magazines that accompanied him through night after night of design work, keeping him better-informed and documenting the trajectory of new tech, will always have a special place on his bookshelf.

(This account is based on real experience. "Mr. Sun" is a designer at the Guangdong Southern Telecommunication Planning Consulting & Design Institute. His name has been changed to protect his privacy.)

Song Yu is a young man from Qingping Town, located in the mountainous Hechuan District of China's Chongqing Municipality.

In 2005, Song Yu received his acceptance letter from Chongqing Normal University. Most local families will buy their kid a new phone to congratulate them for enrolling in college, and Song Yu's family was no exception. Although they were not particularly well off back then, his elder sister saved up to buy him his first phone – something that cost almost half her monthly salary. The gift ended up being more than a fun gadget for him, as it became the bridge connecting Song Yu to the world of communications technologies for the first time.

In college, Song wasn't much different than his peers, many of whom were keen to study electronics. They modified the read-only memory (ROM) package or firmware of their phones, jailbroke their OSs, and messed around with all kinds of third-party software. Through this hobbyist exploration, Song rapidly became familiar with the underlying logics of many different consumer technologies.

Around that time, Huawei began producing own mobile phones, launching the Mate series and P series in 2012. Song's second ever mobile phone ended up being a Huawei P6. Where his first phone cost half his sister's salary, this one cost him a colossal chunk of his three-month salary. At that time, the Huawei brand was undergoing a massive transformation, going from being a vaguely recognized corporation to a common household name. By and by, Song took a liking to Huawei. He liked the brand's espoused values and spirit. That is where the story between Song Yu and Huawei began.

In 2020, Song Yu came across a bronze plaque that Huawei had at one point awarded to an employee. It was hefty and well-made. It also had an interesting design and a mysterious origin. This sparked an idea within Song – who was already something of a collector at heart: What if he started collecting Huawei memorabilia?

After getting home from work, he started scouring different online platforms, looking for mobile phones, books, souvenirs, corporate literature, photo albums, and other memorabilia related to Huawei. Song gradually collected more than 300 items, whose prices ranged from dozens of yuan to three or four thousand yuan. That money was coming out of his own wallet, which was beginning to feel the squeeze, so, he decided it was time to take a more sustainable approach: He started putting aside a limited portion of his salary which he would save until he could afford the next carefully selected item to add to his catalog. As his inventory grew, so did his passion.

At first, his family honestly found his choice of obsession a bit odd. As time went on, however, they were charmed by his enthusiasm and at the very least respected his persistence. Song's personal view was that it was perfectly reasonable to express his admiration for the brand by investing in things related to it. "I like Huawei, so I naturally want to collect meaningful things connected to it." Once, he even prepared to set up a small exhibition for his collection. The plan unfortunately didn't proceed due to some scheduling issues, so Song took his collection back home for storage where they've remained his personal sanctuary, a space he could transiently escape into after a day's hard work. In his eyes, the collection isn't just a repository of memories, but a collection of artistic beauty that refreshes both his eyes and mind.

Each part of his collection has a small story behind it. For example, once he was able to get a Huawei Mate 8 phone case that was signed by Lionel Messi himself. Later, he learned that this case had actually been part of a set of accessories. He immediately contacted the store about the related phone screen and main board, but unfortunately, they had already been purchased by another buyer. He reached out to this buyer, hoping to persuade them to cancel the order. At 2:00 a.m. the next day, the store keeper actually called Song Yu, saying that the buyer had cancelled their order for "personal reasons". It was a somewhat arduous process, but Song was able to complete this limited-edition accessory collection for that phone.

Song says it's worth mentioning that the Mate 8 came equipped with the HiSilicon Kirin 950 chip, which is one of the mobile processors Huawei has self-developed. It marked not only a major breakthrough in Huawei's mobile communications R&D, but also a huge achievement for China in the semiconductors field. The chip marked a significant leap forward for Chinese tech companies who had spent years building up the domestic innovation ecosystem.

Within his collection, Song has a few stand-out items that he particularly cherishes. They include the first commemorative medal issued for Huawei's Life Mediation Committee, a vintage bronze employee badge from Huawei's earliest days, an invitation letter to a 1996 telecommunications exhibition signed by the company's founder, Ren Zhengfei, and five issues of HuaweiTech, including its inaugural issue from 2004.

The covers of these magazines have been yellowed by time, but inside, they give a unique glimpse into the seismic transition China's communications technology has undergone over the past three decades – moving from crank telephones to intelligent connectivity of everything. Song says that he feels like the company's hardest chapter may be over, but the magazine continues to highlight inspiring stories of the perseverance and dedication of Huawei's employees. He can see the days and nights of hard work in every technological innovation and breakthrough. The magazine also acts as a record of the people that have built China's communications industry from the ground up, bringing it to its current position as a leader of the global pack.

In September 2024, Song Yu started the "HuaWeiMuseum" account on Douyin (China's version of TikTok). He has since posted nearly 300 videos showcasing different parts of his Huawei collection. He has also gone to great lengths to give his followers a comprehensive understanding of the context surrounding his collection. When it was difficult to get a clear view of a printed HuaweiTech issue he had acquired, Song traveled to a digital printing shop a long way away from where he lived to scaned an electronic copy of the issue. He wants to share Huawei's history with more people through these pieces, as they share not only the brand's story, but also the strength behind the brand.

Currently, Song's dream is to open an actual museum once his collection reaches 500 items. He expects to achieve this goal by 2028 – at which point, he'll be able to invest more energy into collection. He says he looks forward to having another chat with me in three years once the museum opens.

Song Yu has another dream for 2028: He would love to document a comprehensive tour around Huawei's Songshan Lake campus in Dongguan. He's already a fan of the remarkable scenery at the campus, and as a steadfast believer in Huawei's mission, he wants to help document its journey in his own way. He believes Huawei will stand the test of time and expects to see the company reach its 100-year anniversary far in the future. He also graciously said he looks forward to reading HuaweiTech's next 100 issues and can't wait to see what the publication's next chapter will bring.

(This story is a retelling of an actual fan's real experience. For privacy considerations, the fan is referred to using the assumed name Song Yu.)

I was invited to share "My Moments with the Editorial Office" for the 100th edition of HuaweiTech. And I was delighted to do so. In my 26 years at Huawei, I was fortunate to spend 20 of them working as the editor of the company's eponymous magazine. I was there every step of the way: exploring, growing, making breakthroughs, and transforming together.

These past two decades have flown by, and were rife with change. The sheer speed of technological advancement has completely transformed the way we live and work. Short videos, for example, have far surpassed images and the written word as our primary form of information and entertainment.

Against this backdrop, though, HuaweiTech still has a special place in my heart – in all of our hearts at the Editorial Office. It's like our favorite child among all of Huawei's marketing and communications platforms.

It's remained steadfast and focused for more than 20 years, using the most direct, precise, concise, and powerful form of communication: the written word. With it, we've been able to share our latest products, technologies, solutions, and best practices with customers around the world.

Of course, it has evolved over the years. It started out as a corporate newspaper and eventually became the company's flagship magazine. It has since moved on to embrace a rich array of multimedia: written content, figures, tables, and videos that deliver a more timely, approachable, and enriched reading experience for our readers.

More importantly, HuaweiTech became a benchmark of sorts when we went on to create WinWin magazine. Later, we began releasing all issues of both magazines on our corporate website and built an omni-channel social media platform around them. Over the years, we've been closely tracking development trends in global marketing communications and adjusting our approach accordingly. As the ICT industry landscape and Huawei's business layout have evolved, our team has been iterating its approach and breaking new ground along the way. We built a platform for corporate-level content creation and digital marketing, and throughout this process witnessed Huawei's transition from a Chinese communications equipment provider to a world-renowned ICT equipment and solutions provider.

First-hand and authentic: Getting close to the front line and working alongside our customers

Before 1999, the magazine was a corporate journal called Huawei Technologies (later Communicate and now HuaweiTech) under the purview of the Executives' Office. It was mainly used for technical discussions between Huawei engineers. Around 2000, as Huawei launched its globalization strategy and began entering overseas markets, we started releasing the publication externally to Communicate Huawei's products, technologies, and solutions to customers.

In 2004, to better support marketing and sales, as well as our field offices and customers, the company transferred the management of the publication from the Executives' Office to the Global Technical Sales Dept. At that time, there were only three employees in the Editorial Office (two editors and one distribution assistant). It was at this time that I was transferred from the Fixed Network General Engineers' Office to the Editorial Office, and took charge of this magazine.

Soon after that, the company was planning to hold an NGN marketing conference for global carriers. To help customers better understand the value proposition of this conference, as well as Huawei's latest products and solutions, the Editorial Office worked side by side with the NGN International Technical Sales Dept for about two weeks. Together, we worked on content specifically focused on NGN. Meanwhile, we made drastic upgrades to the magazine as a whole. I remember our teams worked overtime for three days and three nights to review, proofread, and edit the content, after which we finally managed to release the NGN special issue of Communicate.

The cover featured a rising sun, signaling the advent of a new era. It was a huge moment for us. The upgraded issue was well received and highly recognized by conference attendees and the NGN International Technical Sales Dept. To our pleasant surprise, we even received a message from Mr. Ren: "Well done! I encourage you to keep learning from all the excellent publications out there – and make this one a magazine that customers love to read."

Aesthetics and acumen: Becoming a top-drawer magazine

We took a three-step approach to improve HuaweiTech's quality and content.

First, I visited the directors and experts in our various marketing and sales departments, interviewing them one by one to gather their requirements and suggestions. We addressed issues with both intra-company collaboration and content sources for the magazine. Based on these discussions, we established the processes and mechanisms for topic planning and selection. We decided that, every year, the magazine needed to cover all of the company's major marketing campaigns and solutions, and ensure closed-loop management through a joint meeting of chief engineers in the Global Technical Sales Dept.

Second, we actively reached out to multiple professional media organizations in China, and sat down to chat with their chief editors and content creation teams. We were able to garner a more comprehensive understanding of how a professional magazine team was run and where the industry was heading. Meanwhile, we expanded the editorial team by recruiting professional Chinese, English, and art editors. We also set up a quality control process for magazine publication that comprises three rounds of review and proofing.

Third, to improve the visual presentation of the magazine, we invited an advertising design company from Hong Kong to share their insight into international trends in magazine publication. They redesigned the magazine from the bottom up, bringing it on par with world-class publications and helping us deliver a premium reading experience to our customers.

From 2004 to 2009, Huawei made gigantic strides in global markets, and our editorial team grew as well. At its peak the team had six Chinese editors, six English editors, and one graphic designer. Every week, we held meetings on topic selection, book discussions, and journal reviews to constantly reflect and improve ourselves, and learn from the industry's best practices. The magazine reached new heights of both publishing frequency and quality. We were completely immersed in an atmosphere of vitality and creativity, working side by side throughout every step of topic selection, communication, creation, and polishing. Though geographically distant from the company's front lines, our content stayed grounded in the business itself.

Each successful release of a new issue was a huge source of motivation. The technical sales departments for each product line were eager to work with HuaweiTech to promote their latest products, solutions, and value propositions. One year, we published as many as 26 issues – our highest output to date. That year the editorial team was recognized by the Global Technical Sales and Service Dept (where teams are traditionally awarded for sales performance) when we won the Team Gold Medal Award of the year, the most prestigious team award at Huawei.

Everything to help our customers succeed

So, what's a magazine that our customers would love to read? In 2009, as HuaweiTech became a more regular publication, we began to think more seriously about what the magazine was all about. We finally arrived at a consensus: Communicating Huawei's products and solutions to customers was not enough. We needed to develop a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of the dynamics and latest trends in the industry, get closer to our customers, understand their situations and real needs, and build a customer-facing communication platform focused on business success. That's something our customers might like to read.

We made a detailed plan based on this new direction and launched an internal contest to solicit the name for a new publication. This was how WinWin magazine came about. WinWin's positioning is different from that of HuaweiTech. In this brand-new publication, the entire focus was on our customers' concerns, not on Huawei itself. This shift was reflected in everything from cover design to the columns themselves. We set up four columns: Perspectives, Voices from Industry, Tao of Business, and Winners. The 2009 inaugural issue was launched with the slogan "At WinWin, it's all about success." And that mission has remained consistent throughout the years.

Each WinWin features a large cover portrait of the customer we interviewed for that issue. The interviews focus on the customer's strategy, thoughts, tech spread, and business practices, including very little – if anything at all – about Huawei or Huawei's solutions. It's meant to capture an open, third-party perspective. This approach received warm reception from our customers and front-line teams, and many customers reached out to be the next cover story.

In this way, we position HuaweiTech as the main journal, which is published every two months and focuses on Huawei's latest products, technologies, and solutions; and WinWin as a complementary journal, which is published every quarter and focuses on customers' strategies, business considerations, and success stories. We went on to organize a team of interviewers, codify the interview process, and build the entire endeavor into an important channel for marketing and customer engagement.

From paper to platforms: Embracing the digital marketing era

HuaweiTech and WinWin have gradually built up their influence and reputation for quality. With the advent of digital marketing, back in 2010 HuaweiTech's editorial team was transferred from the global marketing system to the Corporate Branding & Communications Dept, and was merged with the corporate website editing team. With this restructuring, we started building out a corporate platform for content creation and digital marketing.

In 2010, Huawei also entered the enterprise network market. We overhauled the corporate website based on the company's new marketing framework, which focuses on both content development and solution marketing. We redesigned everything from its information architecture, readability, and access experience. And when the new website, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

In addition, in response to the rise of multichannel digital marketing, we set up a corporate social media team for communication in and outside of China, forming a proper digital marketing team. We introduced the industry's best practices in content marketing, digital publishing, and digital marketing, and established Huawei's digital marketing organizations, processes, and regulations. These efforts helped support all online marketing and sales activities, especially for our enterprise network and consumer businesses.

Dual focus: Content and experience

Throughout all our communications efforts, whether it be HuaweiTech or WinWin, our website, or our digital marketing campaigns, value marketing remains our guiding light. Content and experience are front and center. The way we see it, the best content is content that gets to the heart of what the industry and customers care about most. Value propositions should always be presented with clear logic, and navel-gazing is a complete nonstarter. To keep everyone aligned around these precepts, the team developed a series of courses, including Advertorial Writing Skills, Digital Marketing, and Content Marketing, to train and enable a wider base of potential content contributors inside the company.

Since 2010, our editorial team has been responsible for content planning and the daily operations of the company's website portals and social media platforms, as well as the company's themed content marketing and digital marketing. And over the years every member has grown into a content expert with a diverse set of skills.

Some of our more memorable projects include developing the company's slogan, "Building a Fully Connected, Intelligent World," and all the related communications built around it. Then there's the Global Connectivity Index, our work spent optimizing the company's Sustainability Progress Report, leading integrated marketing communications for TECH4ALL, and one social media hit after another, many recording over 100,000 views each.

Looking back, those days of intense yet creative and fruitful work in the Editorial Office have been an absolute joy. These 20 years with HuaweiTech have been interspersed with moments of tireless exploration, close teamwork, and memorable landmarks. We rejoiced at every successful delivery and grew together with the magazine itself.

The 100th issue is not the end, but a new starting point for us to delve even deeper into an increasingly intelligent world. I wish all the best for HuaweiTech as it advances shoulder-to-shoulder with the global ICT industry.