World Leaders Jokingly Reference Espionage in Rare Public Display

Xi Jinping, China's top leader, and South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung shared a lighthearted moment over cellphones, acknowledging the world of espionage while downplaying concerns about Chinese products. During their meeting in Gyeongju, Mr. Xi gave Mr. Lee two cellphones, one for him and one for his wife, manufactured by Xiaomi, a Chinese company with Korean-made displays. President Lee asked about the security of the phones, to which Mr. Xi replied, "You can check if there's a backdoor."

This exchange was notable not only because Mr. Xi is rarely seen speaking off the cuff in public but also because it deviated from the "gentlemen's agreement" among world leaders to pretend that covert activities aren't happening. According to John Delury, a historian of China based in Seoul, the exchange was a playful reference to the secret world of espionage and surveillance.

Key Takeaways:

• Xi Jinping gave two Xiaomi cellphones to South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung during their meeting in Gyeongju.
• The phones were manufactured by Xiaomi with Korean-made displays, raising concerns about potential security vulnerabilities.
• President Lee asked Mr. Xi about the security of the phones, to which he replied, "You can check if there's a backdoor."
• The exchange was a rare public reference to espionage among world leaders, who typically avoid acknowledging such activities in public.
• The U.S., Australia, and Britain have banned Huawei, a Chinese technology firm, from their 5G mobile communication networks due to concerns about its ties to China's ruling Communist Party.
• Xiaomi was placed on a U.S. blacklist in 2020, but was removed after successfully suing the U.S. government.
• President Lee's acceptance of the Xiaomi phones may be seen as acknowledging concerns about Chinese products and surveillance capabilities.