Xiaomi Smartphones Chosen as Chinese State Gifts, Boosting Tech Profile
- tech360.tv
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
A pair of Xiaomi handsets were presented as state gifts by China’s head of state, President Xi Jinping, during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, President Lee Jae-myung. This event briefly spotlighted Xiaomi, a smartphone giant.
Analysts stated that selecting Xiaomi’s flagship product as a state gift reflected its growing status as a symbol of China’s technological ambitions. The company was founded more than 15 years ago.
The handsets were presented to Lee during a gift exchange with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. This two-day summit concluded in the coastal city of Gyeongju.
Xi’s interpreter noted that the displays on the Xiaomi smartphones were manufactured in South Korea. During a witty exchange, Lee asked, "Is the line secure?" Xi, through an interpreter, responded, "You can check if there is a back door." This exchange prompted laughter, according to the Korea AngJoong Daily.
The specific models of the smartphones have not been disclosed. This marked the first known occasion where Xiaomi smartphones were presented as state gifts to a foreign head of state.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro publicly praised a Huawei Technologies Mate X6 smartphone reportedly gifted by Xi. Maduro described the handset as "the best phone in the world," claiming United States spies could not hack it.
"The Xiaomi smartphone gift giving is a significant move in both tech diplomacy and national pride," said Su Lian Jye, chief analyst at tech consultancy Omdia. This move underscored China’s confidence in its domestic tech brands amidst geopolitical tensions. It also promoted the broader Chinese tech sector’s "confidence in local innovation and self-reliance".
Xiaomi ranked as the world’s third-largest smartphone vendor in the third quarter, trailing Samsung Electronics and Apple, according to data from research firm IDC. The Beijing-based company also entered China’s highly competitive electric vehicle market in 2021. Its first model was released in December 2023.
Selecting its products as a state gift also demonstrated Xiaomi’s growing recognition as one of China’s leading technology brands, stated Sanyam Chaurasia, principal analyst at market consultancy Canalys. "It highlighted how Xiaomi’s products have evolved to present premium quality design and innovation that aligned with the country’s ambition to move up the value chain in the consumer space," Chaurasia said.
Xiaomi’s Hong Kong-listed shares gained 3.52 per cent to close at HK$44.72 on Monday. The company in September launched its latest flagship 17-series smartphones, which founder and Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun stated "surpassed [Apple’s] iPhone 17 series in many areas." This included the models’ thin design and a new imaging system for backlight photography, developed through a partnership with German optical giant Leica.
Xiaomi smartphones were presented as state gifts by China to South Korea.
Analysts view this as a symbol of China’s technological ambitions and national pride.
This marks the first known instance of Xiaomi smartphones being used as state gifts.
Source: SCMP