Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong met with Xiaomi founder, Chairman and CEO Lei Jun as the executive moves gradually back into the public eye following a yearslong legal dispute.
The two parties, along with Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon, met Saturday at the company’s EV plant on the outskirts of Beijing during Lee’s visit for China Development Forum (CDF), Chinese media outlet Sina Technology reported Sunday without disclosing the details of the meeting.
![Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, center, converses with Lenovo Chairman Yang Yuanqing, right, in Beijing on March 23. Lee attended the opening ceremony of the two-day China Development Forum 2025 that day. [SHIN KYUNG-JIN]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0324-Samsung.jpg)
Media outlets including the Chosun Ilbo reported that the parties had discussed potential collaboration on automotive chips and displays.
Samsung Electronics did not reveal the details of Lee’s schedule or duration of his trip to Beijing.
Lee has begun to ramp up his public engagement as of late.
The executive chairman has largely kept a low profile since early February, when the Seoul High Court acquitted him for his alleged involvement in the 2015 merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries five years after his original indictment in September 2020.
He made his first official public appearance since the ruling during his meeting with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on Thursday.
As Samsung continues to struggle to find a technological breakthrough, the third-generation leader released a rare message on March 17 saying that the company should “confront the crisis with a do-or-die determination.”
The Beijing trip marks Lee’s first visit to the CDF in two years; he last attended in 2023. Lee was listed as one of 87 international delegates on CDF organizer China Development Research Foundation’s website on Saturday.
SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung is also attending the forum for the second year in a row. Other business heavyweights include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser, BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse, Mercedes-Benz Group Chairman Ola Källenius and Qualcomm’s Amon.
Sponsored by the Development Research Center of China’s State Council and organized by China Development Research Foundation, this year’s CDF takes place in Beijing Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for two days through Monday, under the theme “Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of Global Economy.” Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a keynote speech on Sunday.
BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]
