"Check the Backdoor," Xi Jinping Jokes—Foreign Media Surprised: "Rare Spontaneous Remark"

[Financial News] Even after the conclusion of the 'Super Week of Summit Diplomacy,' stories continue to emerge. Recently, foreign media described as unusual a joke made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to President Lee Jae Myung while presenting a Xiaomi smartphone during the Korea-China summit.
On the 1st, President Lee held a summit meeting with President Xi, who was on a state visit to Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, and the two leaders exchanged gifts.
Upon receiving a Xiaomi smartphone, one of the gifts from President Xi, President Lee joked, "Is the communication security reliable?" President Xi replied, "Check if there is a backdoor (meaning a hacking method)," and both leaders laughed together.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 2nd (local time), "It is an open secret that countries spy on each other. This is why world leaders rarely mention espionage in public," adding, "However, last weekend, a joke between China's top leader Xi Jinping and South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung became a topic of conversation."
The NYT then described the moment President Xi handed the smartphone to President Lee.
NYT noted, "It is remarkable because President Xi is rarely seen making spontaneous remarks in public. The pleasant encounter reflects the two leaders' efforts to strengthen bilateral relations through economic cooperation."
John Delury, former professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University (GSIS), commented, "What is interesting is that when leaders meet, they do not acknowledge, 'I am watching you, and you are watching me.' It is an old-fashioned gentleman's agreement," adding, "Yet, they playfully referenced the secretive world of espionage and surveillance, laughing it off. President Xi seemed to acknowledge concerns about Chinese products and surveillance."
According to NYT, the United States and others have long pointed out that Xiaomi Corporation maintains close ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and that Chinese products have been used for espionage. The Trump administration placed Xiaomi on a blacklist. It also warned that American companies doing business with Chinese smartphone and electric vehicle manufacturers could be excluded from future Department of Defense contracts. In Korea, suspicions have persisted that China has unfairly interfered in Korean elections.
The Chinese government has consistently denied these allegations.
Former Professor Delury analyzed, "President Xi dismissed concerns with humor and satire, while emphasizing Korea-China business cooperation."

On the 3rd, The Guardian also reported, "It is rare for President Xi to joke about sensitive topics such as espionage," and noted, "The conversation between President Lee and President Xi was captured by TV cameras, offering a glimpse of President Xi's candid side—a very rare opportunity." The article also recalled a conversation about 'immortality' between President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin that was inadvertently made public during China's Victory Day military parade last September.
The Guardian explained the significance of the leaders' pleasant exchange through Kim Nam-joon, spokesperson for the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea.

Spokesperson Kim stated, "The two leaders, who met several times during the two-day summit, formed a close bond," adding, "From the welcoming ceremony and gift exchange to the banquet and cultural performances, they had many opportunities to communicate and build personal chemistry. Without such rapport, that kind of joke would not have been possible."
Agence France-Presse (AFP) also reported, "President Xi almost never jokes about espionage, nor does he treat such matters lightly," noting that during his first visit to Korea in over a decade, he shared a 'pleasant conversation' with President Lee.
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter