Xi Jinping Gifts Xiaomi Phones to South Korea’s President With Security Joke

China’s spy joke with South Korea that sounded like a warning

Chinese President Xi Jinping gifted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung a pair of smartphones, jokingly telling him to 'check if there's a backdoor' — referring to the risk of unauthorized bypassing of security controls. Andrew Chang breaks down the layers of Xi's comment to better understand what may have been hidden behind the humour. Images provided by The Canadian Press, Reuters and Getty Images

Xi Jinping jokes about backdoors in Xiaomi smartphones

: South Korea's president laughed, so perhaps it was funny? Unlike China's censorship and snooping

Xi Jinping jokes about phone security during gift exchange with South Korean President

Xi handed over two Xiaomi smartphones fitted with Korean-made displays as gifts. Lee then smiled and asked, “Is the communication line secure?”

Xiaomi’s credentials get a boost as Beijing picks smartphones as state gift

The gesture reflects Xiaomi’s growing status as a symbol of China’s technological ambitions, analysts say.

Xi Jinping jokes about spying after gifting Xiaomi phones to S. Korean president — 'check if there's a back door'

President Xi jokes about espionage while gifting smartphones to South Korean President Lee, drawing global attention as the Chinese leader is rarely seen making spontaneous comments.