According to the Financial Times, he played a "central role in the revival of his country's ties with the Philippines." He funded drug treatment centers during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016. Both treatment centers were hailed by Duterte as a sign of Chinese friendship, with Huang not offering details, and saying he was funding the centers to improve ties between the two nations. According Duterte, Huang did not ask for anything in return for the mega facility.
In October 2016, Chinese state media said that Huang's company had paid bribes to Bai Enpai, the party secretary of Yunnan Province. In June 2017, it was announced that he was being investigated by the state over corruption allegations. That week, he was removed from his role in Fujian province political consultative conference. He was also arrested.
As of 2016, he had invested in around 20 five-star hotels and 10 malls.