The Xiaomi Boot at the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
Barcelona – Us President Donald Trump’s Continued Classhes with China Over Tech and Trade Looms Heavy Over Over Chinese Smartphone Vndors who have Grown Globally In the Past Few Years, Creating Uncertainty over Whomer some of these companies may be targeted by washington, Similarly to Huawei.
At the mobile world Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Chinese Electronics Players from Xiaomi to honor and opposo was out in force, showing off their latest devices. Xiaomi even Had Its Latest Electric Vehicle – The su7 ultra – on show as it looks to create a buzz.
Xiaomi also launched a high-end smartphone While Honor Announced a $ 10 billion investment in AiOppo touted its ai privacy features and other Lesser-KNOWN Players Like Tecno, Owned by Transition, Unveiled Products Like Ai Glasses.
Huawei was also in Attendance, and Showed off the Mate Xt, A TRIFOLD Smartphone Which it has launched in international markets as it Charts a very cautious comeback to the global sphere.
To some extent, huawei services as a cautionary tale to other chinese players. The shenzhen-headquartered firm was on the biggest smartphone vendor in the world until us sanctions Crushed Its Handset Business,
Just as huawei is looking to Dip it toe Into Into International Smartphone Sales Again and other Chinese players are grewing quchly, trump is back in the white house, which is a person Companies’ Presence at MWC, According to Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at CCS Insight.
“I think also unfortunately for huawei, just as they are starting to get back back on their feet, the re-emergence of trump and his overall strategy with regards to ‘America (amen Only affects huawei, but it affects all of the chinese manufacturers that will be at mwc, “Wood Told CNBC.
“I think it’s very much going to be the elephant in the room at mwc with regards to a hug Amount of investment and lavish spending by the chinese manufacturers, with the shadow of whing in Coming to Happen in Coming Hanging over them. “
Xiaomi, Oppo and Honor was not immediatily available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
Chinese players have been a feature of MWC for Several Years as They’ve expanded their footprint globally. Now eight of the top 10 smartphone players are headquartered in China, according to canalys data. Xiaomi for example is the world’s third-largest.
Xiaomi Displayed Its New Su7 Ultra Electric Car at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
Xiaomi has grown its presence in europe while others, like transition, have focused on emerging markets. With that success also comes the potential for further scrutiny, wood said.
“The Danger for these manufacturers is if they put their head too far about the parapet, they’ll start to get scrutiny from the US Administration,” Wood said.
“So I think they have to tread a fin line in barcelona and make sure that they do’t make too much noise bes the last thing things are want is to be the poster child for chinese technology and beat For Trump and His Advisors. “
So far, trump has focused on raising tariffs on chinese imports. But there has been decided action on the technology restriction front. Under the Previous President Joe Biden, Washington Burgt in Several Rounds of Restrictions that Looked to Cut Off China’s Access to Advanced Technology in Areas Such as SEMICODUCOTORS.
Europe focus
Other analysts agre there is a risk of increasing scrutiny but a couple of key reasons why other chinese manufacturers may not be restricted the way huawei was.
Francisco Jeronimo, Vice President for Data and Analytics at International Data Corporation (IDC), Said That The Chinese Brands are focusing their efforts on europe rather than the us scrutiny from washington.
“They (Chinese Players) Definitely don’t a chance seling in the us, but if they continue targeting europe as they are, I do’s’t think that’t that’s a risk and i don’t always there the us Administration will tell wheatever Countries in Europe They Need to Stop Selling Xiaomi or Honor or Any Other Brand, “Jeronimo Told CNBC.
“I don’t think there’s a massive risk trust at the end of the day as they are not targeting us consumers.”
Honor Announced at $ 10 Billion AI Investment Called The Honor Alpha Plan at the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
Another reason why the us may not target chinese firms as heavily as huawei is if it could harm american tech firms, according to neil shah, partner at counterpoint research.
“It’s hard to say how much trump will tighten the screense on chinese players because the’re dependent on Google, Microsoft and Qualcomm,” Shah Told CNBC.
Chinese players seling outside of china run google’s android operating system on their smartphones. Meanwhile, many of them relay on chips from us firm QualcommMany Chinese smartphone makers also sell laptops and tablets which may run Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
Restricting Chinese Companies’ Access to this Technology Could Harm Us Firms, Shah Argues.
“Qualcomm will lose out, Microsoft will lose out and eventually google will lose out as well,” shah said.
(Tagstotranslate) Donald Trump (T) United States (T) China (T) Technology (T) Smartphones (T) Mobile Phones (T) Xiaomi corp
