Xi jokes about spying with Chinese phone gift for South Korea's Lee

Xi Jinping joked about spying on South Korea’s president as he gifted him a pair of smartphones, telling him to “check if there is a backdoor” in a rare jest from the Chinese leader that made headlines in Seoul.

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The lighthearted exchange took place on Saturday in the city of Gyeongju, when Xi and President Lee Jae Myung presented gifts to each other on the sidelines of an APEC summit, marking Xi’s first visit to South Korea in more than a decade.

Xi presented two Xiaomi smartphones fitted with Korean-made displays to Lee, who quipped: “Is the communication line secure?” drawing laughter from Xi.