Chinese President Xi Jinping’s gifting of smartphones to his South Korean counterpart, accompanied by a pointed joke about potential “backdoors,” highlighted underlying geopolitical tensions around technology security during a recent diplomatic visit.
Xi presented two Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphones to South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and his wife. The exchange occurred during Xi’s official visit to South Korea, which concluded the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Saturday.
When Lee questioned the communication system’s safety, Xi reportedly responded, “It’s very safe. You can check if there’s a backdoor.” The leaders and officials reportedly laughed during the exchange.
A “backdoor” refers to a deliberate system vulnerability designed to access internal data or eavesdrop without standard procedures.
This visit marked Xi Jinping’s first to a U.S. ally in 11 years. Lee Jae-myung hosted a dinner for Xi in Gyeongju, South Korea.
The gift exchange followed a customary tradition, with Lee having presented Xi with a “superb” wooden Go board. Other gifts included a traditional Korean mother-of-pearl jewelry tray.
Observers suggested the choice of a Xiaomi phone, which utilizes Samsung-made screens, could be seen as a nod to bringing “pride back” to South Korea.
Xi’s remark also appeared to reference past Chinese concerns over U.S. proposals that advanced chips sold internationally include tracking functions. Chipmakers like Nvidia have previously confirmed their products had no backdoors.
During their summit, President Lee sought Xi’s assistance in re-establishing dialogue with nuclear-armed North Korea. Xi affirmed China’s readiness to “expand cooperation and tackle various challenges both countries are facing together.”