Breaking from his typically reserved demeanour, Chinese President Xi Jinping added a touch of humour to diplomacy during his Seoul visit, gifting South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung two Xiaomi smartphones and sparking laughter with a quip that soon went viral.
The phones, equipped with Korean-made displays, symbolised a gesture of goodwill and technological collaboration between the two countries. But it was Xi’s tongue-in-cheek comment that grabbed global attention. Handing over the devices, he joked, “You should check if there is a backdoor,” drawing laughter from Lee and officials present at the meeting.
Lee, known for his candid communication style, responded with a smile, asking, “Is the communication line secure?” The brief but spontaneous exchange offered a glimpse of warmth rarely seen in high-level diplomacy involving Xi, who is typically known for his measured tone and formality.
The light-hearted moment was widely shared across South Korean media and social platforms, with commentators describing it as a “refreshing departure” from standard diplomatic protocol. “It was a rare sight of personal rapport between the two leaders,” noted one local outlet, highlighting how such informal exchanges can help soften geopolitical tensions.
Officials from Lee’s office later confirmed that the smartphones were genuine gifts from the Chinese leader but declined to say whether the South Korean president planned to use them.
