South Korean top tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. hinted Wednesday that it may take a counteraction against Huawei Technologies Co. after the Chinese company launched lawsuits claiming Samsung's infringement of its patents.

Earlier, the Chinese firm brought two suits against the world's top smartphone maker in the U.S. state of California and the Chinese city of Shenzen, seeking compensation for the alleged unlicensed use of 4G technology.

Huawei, the world's third-largest smartphone maker, claimed Samsung and its affiliates gained huge profits by using the firm's technology without its permission.

"We may counter-sue. There is no choice but to stand firm when they (Huawei) act like this," Ahn Seong-ho, Samsung's intellectual property chief, told reporters. 

In the lawsuit filed with the federal court of the Northern District of California, Huawei claims Samsung infringes upon 11 patents related to the industry standard for 4G technology.

Huawei demands cash compensation and also asks for an injunction to ban the sales of Samsung products in the U.S. market, according to the complaint released to the public.

The latest lawsuit is largely considered exceptional as Chinese firms have often been receiving patent infringement suits from foreign firms in the past.

"Huawei grew as a patent monster to threaten Samsung in just 30 years from a small tech firm," said a local industry analyst, showing concerns that similar suits could be launched against local firms.

Samsung sold 81.18 million smartphone units around the globe in the first quarter of this year, taking up 23.2 percent of the total, followed by Apple Inc. with 14.8 percent and Huawei with 8.3 percent. (Yonhap)