Xiaomi founder Lei Jun jokes after Serbian president says “I can't afford a Xiaomi car”

Factory visit turns into a punchline

Aleksandar Vučić (武契奇), Serbia’s president, toured a Xiaomi (小米) auto plant in Beijing during a state visit and briefly took the driver's seat of the new YU7, where the car cabin even played Serbia’s national anthem. When asked whether he planned to take a Xiaomi home, Vučić — known for his dry humour — laughed, “The car is beautiful, but I can’t afford it.” Lei Jun (雷军), Xiaomi’s founder, chairman and CEO, fired back on Weibo: “Mr. President, the YU7 standard model is RMB 233,500,” complete with a dog-head emoji. Was it a sales pitch or a joke? Both, apparently.

Price, purchases and the politics behind the photo-op

It has been reported that Lei Jun’s post instantly ignited social media, reportedly topping Chinese hot-search lists. Vučić did not buy a full-size car on the visit, but it has been reported that he and his entourage purchased Xiaomi-branded souvenirs at the factory shop — four SU7 Ultra alloy model cars and one SU7 Ultra fridge magnet. For context, according to Serbia’s anti-corruption agency and official data (as of May 2026) Vučić’s net monthly pay is 240,479 RSD (about RMB 16,160), or roughly RMB 193,800 a year — making the YU7’s sticker price slightly above his reported annual salary.

This light-hearted exchange comes amid deeper strategic ties between Beijing and Belgrade. Serbia has courted Chinese investment across infrastructure and tech, and Chinese electrified vehicle makers see Europe as a crucial market even as trade frictions and export controls reshape global supply chains. A staged factory visit, a viral Weibo quip and a handful of souvenir purchases — a small moment, but one that underscores how China’s tech firms are increasingly plugged into diplomacy as they scale up global ambitions.