Synthetic Images Targeting Minister Gina Raimondo Go Viral
Smartphone Cases Featuring These Images Also on Sale
Chinese electronics manufacturer Huawei has released its latest smartphone despite U.S. sanctions, sparking a flood of memes on Chinese social media (SNS) mocking the United States.
According to a report by the Washington Post (WP) on the 7th (local time), photos combining U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Huawei's latest smartphone, the Mate 60 Pro, have gained popularity on Chinese SNS platforms such as Weibo.
The most talked-about image is a composite photo depicting Secretary Raimondo as if she were the advertising model for the Mate 60 Pro. Raimondo is shown giving a thumbs-up, with the Mate 60 Pro in front of her. At the bottom of the image, the phrase "I, Gina Raimondo, am Huawei's brand ambassador" is written.
It is reported that this meme is also being used as an actual advertising product. On Chinese online shopping platforms like Taobao, phone cases for Huawei smartphones featuring this image are being sold.
Meanwhile, Huawei unveiled the Mate 60 Pro on the 29th of last month. This phone is known to integrate various advanced components despite the U.S.'s stringent trade sanctions against China. These include a 7-nanometer (nm) application processor (AP) ordered from China's semiconductor foundry SMIC and Huawei's own 5G modem.
At least on paper, it has specifications equivalent to the latest smartphones made by brands from other countries. The Mate 60 Pro reportedly sold out in less than a week after its release.
Secretary Raimondo visited China for four days starting on the 27th of last month, two days before the Huawei phone launch. In an interview with CNN on the 3rd, Raimondo emphasized, "The United States has the stick (against China) and is ready to use it whenever necessary."
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