Xi Jinping Responds, "Check if There Is a Backdoor"
Gift Exchange in a Warm and Friendly Atmosphere
After concluding their summit, President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping took time to introduce the gifts they had prepared for each other.
President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit on the 1st at the Grand Ballroom of Sono Calm Gyeongju in Gyeongbuk, followed by a time to introduce their respective gifts. Presidential Office
On the 1st, following the summit, President Lee and President Xi explained the gifts they had prepared for one another. Among the gifts presented by President Xi to President Lee was a smartphone from the Chinese brand Xiaomi. When a Chinese aide explained that the Xiaomi smartphone was "manufactured last year" and that "the display is a Korean product," President Lee jokingly asked, "Is the communication security reliable?" President Xi, smiling, replied, "Check if there is a backdoor." President Lee burst into laughter and applauded at President Xi's response.
Laughter also broke out among those present. When President Lee casually mentioned China's information security, President Xi responded by referencing a 'backdoor,' a known security vulnerability, in a lighthearted exchange.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, gifted by President Xi to President Lee, is a new product that was unveiled at 'MWC 2025,' the world's largest mobile exhibition held in Barcelona, Spain earlier this month. It has been praised for blurring the boundaries between smartphones and digital cameras through collaboration with the camera brand Leica. The single model, equipped with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, is priced at 1,699,000 won and has been released in Korea. There is speculation that the reason for gifting the previous version, the 15 Ultra, rather than the latest Xiaomi 17 Premium model, is because the display in the 15 Ultra is made in Korea.
In addition, President Xi also presented President Lee with a set of traditional Chinese stationery items, including an inkstone and brush made of jade. For President Lee's wife, Kim Hye-kyung, Peng Liyuan personally selected a set of Chinese teacups. President Lee expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you very much for these precious gifts."
President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping are having a conversation at the welcome dinner for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held on October 31 at the Lahan Select Hotel in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Photo by the Presidential Office
Meanwhile, President Lee presented President Xi with a wooden board made from premium Bonbi tree and a mother-of-pearl lacquerware tray. President Xi, while touching the Go board, remarked, "It is crafted with great precision. It is excellent," and expressed his appreciation. Both leaders are known to enjoy playing Go. President Lee also prepared a silver-handled soup pot, a set of silver cups, and Korean cosmetics for President Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan. Upon seeing the cosmetics, President Xi jokingly asked, "Are these for women?" President Lee laughed and replied, "Yes, they are for women."
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