Chip start-up CNEX Labs has accused Huawei deputy chairman Eric Xu of participating in a conspiracy to steal its trade secrets.

The company accuses Huawei of conspiring to steal the company’s solid-state drive computer storage technology.

It also alleges a Chinese university helped Xu carry out the theft.

CNEX is developing technology to enhance the performance of solid-state drives in datacentres and has been in a dispute with Huawei since 2017.