• Xi Jinping joked about spying when presenting smartphones to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
• The exchange occurred during their meeting in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
• The phones were Xiaomi models, emphasizing collaboration between South Korea and China.

During a light-hearted exchange, Chinese President Xi Jinping gifted South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung a pair of Xiaomi smartphones, provoking laughter when Xi suggested to check for a "backdoor" in the devices, a term referring to potential surveillance software. This interaction took place on Saturday in Gyeongju during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, marking Xi's first visit to South Korea in over a decade, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.

The jovial moment arose as President Lee humorously asked, "Is the line secure?" to which Xi responded, "You should check if there is a backdoor," eliciting further laughter from the audience. This exchange not only entertained but also highlighted ongoing concerns about espionage related to Chinese technology, reflecting underlying tensions between the US and China regarding technology security, according to The Jakarta Post and India Times.

The significance of the phones, which feature Korean-made displays, emphasizes a perceived cross-border collaboration in the technology sector, despite traditional rivalries between their respective major companies, Samsung and Xiaomi. Analysts noted that such diplomatic gifts and the humorous banter indicate a budding personal rapport between Xi and Lee, crucial for fostering bilateral relations amid geopolitical pressures, as detailed by India Times and Channel News Asia.

Lee's spokesperson emphasized that personal chemistry between the leaders encouraged such a lighthearted moment. This exchange, while humorous, also comes as both leaders navigate complex pressures surrounding security and alliance dynamics in a regional context, particularly with growing concerns from Western nations about China's technological influence, according to The Jakarta Post and India Times.