Chinese telecommunication gear maker Huawei on Thursday smashed reports of alleged collaboration talks with Franco-American rival Alcatel-Lucent.

“The reports are inaccurate. Huawei is not in discussions with Alcatel-Lucent,” said Huawei spokesman Ross Gan.

The French magazine, Challenges, reported on Wednesday that the two companies were in preliminary talks to form an alliance to jointly manufacture products, without citing any sources.

Meanwhile, Alcatel-Lucent Chief Executive Ben Verwaayen declined to comment on the report of a possible alliance, as the company said that it is on track to meet its profit targets through 2011.

“I never comment on rumors,” Verwaayen said.