During a diplomatic gift exchange, Chinese President Xi Jinping presented South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung with Xiaomi smartphones, humorously remarking on checking for backdoors. This lighthearted moment occurred amidst ongoing espionage concerns surrounding Chinese technology. The gift, a symbol of cross-border collaboration, was delivered to the home of South Korea’s own smartphone giant, Samsung. The exchange highlighted the complex technological and political landscape during Xi’s visit.

Seoul, Nov 2 (IANS) President Lee Jae Myung has received a set of Xiaomi smartphones and traditional Chinese calligraphy tools from Chinese President Xi Jinping following their first summit talks, as the two leaders shared a lighthearted exchange about communication security. Chinese President Xi Jinping sparked laughter during a diplomatic gift exchange Saturday when he presented South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung with a pair of Xiaomi smartphones—then quipped about security backdoors in a rare moment of spontaneous humour.

When Lee lifted one of the black-boxed devices and asked, “Is the line secure?” Xi pointed at the phones and replied through an interpreter: “You can check if there’s a backdoor.” Both leaders erupted in laughter, with Lee clapping his hands as officials looked on during the ceremony in Gyeongju.

Chinese President Xi Jinping security joke lands amid espionage concerns

The exchange carried unexpected weight given that backdoor allegations have become a flashpoint in US-Chinese relations. American lawmakers have long suspected Chinese tech giants like Huawei of building hidden access points into their equipment to harvest sensitive data—claims the companies have repeatedly denied, Reuters reported.

Washington has even floated incorporating similar tracking features into US products like Nvidia chips, prompting public pushback from the chipmaker.’DON’T NEED AMERICA’: Canada PM Carney CRAWLS To Xi Jinping In Big Shock To Trump & U.S.Xi’s choice of gift was itself symbolic: Chinese-made Xiaomi phones delivered to the doorstep of Samsung Electronics, South Korea’s smartphone titan.

An aide highlighted that the curved displays were manufactured in South Korea, underscoring cross-border technological collaboration.The lighthearted moment came during Xi’s first visit to the US ally in 11 years, as he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Lee had earlier presented Xi with a Go board carved from premium Torreya nucifera wood and traditional Korean lacquerware. Xi also gifted traditional Chinese calligraphy tools, while Lee’s wife received a tea set.