In January, then-outgoing US President Donald Trump blacklisted several Chinese companies, including smartphone giant Xiaomi. This was because they were allegedly owned by the Chinese government or had strong ties to the Chinese government. According to information from The Wall Street Journal cited by the Gizchina website, however, in the case of Xiaomi, the reason was different - the awarding of the "Outstanding Builder of Socialism with Chinese Elements" award to its founder Lei Jun.
In response to being on the blacklist, Xiaomi issued a public statement saying it had no connection to the Chinese government or military. The smartphone giant emphasized that it continues to comply with all legal regulations and that the US government has no evidence of any violations. He added that he would use all legal means to seek damages for being unfairly blacklisted (his share price fell significantly after he was blacklisted).
Xiaomi has also filed a lawsuit against the White House in the US, but it is still unclear how the lawsuit will turn out.
The company has been very successful recently - last year it became the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, it is number one in ten markets and among the top five brands in thirty-six. However, it should be noted that its growth was helped by the dramatic decline in sales of another Chinese smartphone giant, Huawei, caused by the ongoing US sanctions.
You could be interested in
