Lee takes Xiaomi phone selfies with Xi, gifts painting of mythical beast at Korea-China state banquet

President Lee Jae Myung, left, takes a selfie Chinese President Xi Jinping using a Xiaomi smartphone during a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing after their bilateral summit on Jan. 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

BEIJING — Korean President Lee Jae Myung was spotted taking a selfie with Chinese President Xi Jinping to indicate warming bilateral relations during their state banquet in Beijing on Monday.  
 
The smartphone Lee used to take selfies with Xi and the two countries' first ladies was a device from Chinese tech giant Xiaomi gifted by Xi after their first summit two months ago.  
 
The two presidents, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan, attended the state banquet hosted at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing after their bilateral summit.  
 
After the banquet, Lee posted photos with Xi on X in a post titled "Is the image quality good?"
 
"A selfie with President Xi Jinping and his wife using the Xiaomi I received as a gift in Gyeongju," Lee wrote. "Thanks to you, I got the picture of a lifetime."
 

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Lee brought to Beijing the Xiaomi smartphone he received as a gift from Xi at their first summit held on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang.  
 
"The closer we get to each other, the more the Korea-China relationship warms," he wrote. "We look forward to communicating more frequently and cooperating more actively in the future."  
 
The two leaders spent over four hours together over the course of the day, which started with an official welcoming ceremony, bilateral talks and a signing ceremony for memorandums of understanding.  
 
The dinner event was attended by approximately 100 people from South Korea and China. During the summit, Lee wore a red tie, matching Xi's tie.  
 

From left, President Lee Jae Myung takes a selfie with first lady Kim Hea Kyung, Chinese President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan with a Xiaomi smartphone during a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

From left, President Lee Jae Myung, first lady Kim Hea Kyung, Chinese President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan pose for a selfie taken by Lee on a Xiaomi smartphone during a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 5. [BLUE HOUSE]

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a press briefing later Monday that the summit's "atmosphere was cordial," serving as a continuation of discussions that were not covered in the first summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, in November.  
 
"The personal relationship and rapport between the two leaders has risen to another level," Wi said, calling this a "significant achievement."
 
At the banquet, the Central Military Band of the People's Liberation Army of China performed twelve song from China and Korea.  
 
The repertoire included Chinese folk song, "Everybody Couldn't Help Saying My Native Town Is a Wonderful Place," which was sung by Peng, a renowned singer before marrying Xi.
 

Left: A traditional painting of girin, an auspicious mythical creature, gifted by President Lee Jae Myung to Chinese President Xi Jinping during their second summit in Beijing on Jan. 5, Right: A Korean traditional ornamental pendant presented by President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung to Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan. [BLUE HOUSE]

To mark their second summit, Lee gifted Xi a traditional painting of girin, a mythical creature believed to signal the arrival of a virtuous ruler and a time of peace and prosperity. The painting titled "Girindo" is by artisan Eom Jae-kwon and a reproduction of a piece from the late 19th century.  
 
The painting also portrays peaches, symbolizing immortality and longevity, and peonies, symbolizing wealth and honor.
 
Lee also gave Xi a gold-leaf dragon-patterned frame crafted by Kim Gi-ho, a gold-leaf artisan designated as a national intangible cultural asset. The piece features a gold dragon symbolizing royalty and dignity, with chrysanthemum and cloud patterns against a red background,  
 
Lee and Kim gave Peng a traditional ornamental pendant, decorated with a butterfly, symbolizing spring and the spirit of good fortune and wish fulfillment, and adorned with flowers and pearls for prosperity and wealth. Peng was also given a K-beauty device for facial lifting.  
 
This state visit marked the first meeting between the two women, as Peng didn't accompany Xi on his trip to Gyeongju. The two first ladies got to know each other over tea during the bilateral summit between Lee and Xi.  
 
Kim told Peng that she had been a fan of hers for a long time.
 
She noted that a Korea-China song festival hasn't been held since 2015 and expressed hopes that this cultural exchange program continues."  
 
Peng called it a "good suggestion," adding that as neighboring countries, there should be regular exchanges.
 

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]