Huawei slapped a $1 billion claim on US operator Verizon covering licensing fees for more than 230 of its patents.

The Chinese vendor issued its claim in February, asking Verizon to cough up to “solve the patent licensing issue” which relates to core and wireless network gear, along with IoT equipment, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

Verizon is not a Huawei customer, but the vendor apparently told the operator “we trust you will see the benefit” of licensing the portfolio.

The claim comes during escalating tensions between the Huawei and the US government, which imposed a trade ban on the Chinese vendor in mid-May over allegations it works for the country’s government (accusations Huawei vehemently denies).

Huawei and Verizon representatives held discussions on the issue last week in New York, WSJ stated.

Verizon representative Rich Young declined to comment on specifics of the case but told Reuters: “These issues are larger than just Verizon. Given the broader geopolitical context, any issue involving Huawei has implications for our entire industry and also raise national and international concerns.”