"After Jensen Huang, Xiaomi CEO Also Eats Street Food"... Big Tech CEOs' 'Down-to-Earth Marketing' Wins Over China

[Financial News]  Lei Jun, CEO of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, is drawing strong reactions after photos of him eating local food on a street in Wuhan were shared online. Some observers said the scene was reminiscent of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who made headlines last month for eating Jajangmyeon on a street in Beijing during a visit to China.
According to Chinese IT outlet Kuaikeji and others on the 15th, Lei recently visited Wuhan to attend the World Youth Development Forum 2026 and stopped by a breakfast street popular with locals, where he tried the city’s signature Wuhan hot dry noodles.
During his visit to Wuhan, Lei is also said to have met with owners of Xiaomi's electric sport utility vehicle, the YU7, to hear their opinions and visited Xiaomi stores to speak directly with consumers.
The dish Lei ate that day is one of Wuhan’s signature noodle dishes, mixed with sesame paste called majiang. He ordered Wuhan hot dry noodles, Mianwo, a type of fried bread, and mung bean porridge, then sat by the roadside to enjoy his meal. The menu is known as a traditional breakfast favored by Wuhan residents.
During the meal, Lei said, "I usually eat Wuhan hot dry noodles often. It has been a very long time since I crouched by the roadside to eat." He later posted related photos on his Weibo account and actively interacted with netizens.
When one netizen asked, "Did you also eat Wuhan hot dry noodles on the street like this when you were in college in Wuhan?" Lei replied, "It was exactly like this when I was in school. The taste is still the same even after decades." Lei is an alumnus of the School of Computer Science, Wuhan University.
The Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism also posted photos of his street meal on its official social networking service account, along with the phrases "Breakfast with Lei Jun" and "Put down the chopsticks and take a group photo." A large crowd of fans gathered at the scene to see Lei, and he connected with them by signing T-shirts, hats, and car models in person.

Lei’s appearance also reminded some people of Jensen Huang’s Jajangmyeon meal, which became a hot topic in China last month.
At the time, Huang, who was accompanying U.S. President Donald Trump on his visit to China, dined with his entourage at a Beijing-style Jajangmyeon restaurant in Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng District, Beijing. Wearing a black leather jacket, the CEO drew attention for his casual demeanor after tasting the noodles, giving nearby residents a thumbs-up and saying, "It’s really delicious."
He also chatted naturally with residents during the meal, posed for photos, and even handed out Gimbap, banana milk, and fried chicken to some of them. Videos and photos of the scene spread quickly across Chinese social media and became a major sensation.
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter