According to Reuters, which cited sources with inside knowledge of the situation, Chinese telecommunications equipment giant ZTE is considering paying more than US$1 billion to the U.S. government to settle allegations of overseas bribery that date back several years. The final settlement amount could surpass US$2 billion, with a portion of it being calculated based on the profits derived from contracts implicated in the case. On the afternoon of December 11, ZTE released an announcement indicating that its board of directors was cognizant of the relevant reports, was actively engaging in discussions with the U.S. Department of Justice, and would protect its rights and interests through legal channels. The company also confirmed that all its production and operations were proceeding as usual. Influenced by this news, ZTE's A-shares and H-shares both experienced declines during the morning trading session on December 11. By the close of the morning session, A-shares had plummeted by 7.73%, while H-shares had dropped by 9.36%.