New Delhi: Chinese mobile giant Xiaomi inadvertently sparked a century old dispute between India and China over their geopolitical boundaries.
Xiaomi's vice president Hugo Barra posted an image of its latest Mi4 phone launch in Delhi on a micro blogging site Weibo. The image shows Barra holding a mike and behind him a map of India which shows Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh as Part of India. The image was immediately removed but not before it was saved.
It must be noted that India lays its claims on Aksai Chin but the region is administered by China whereas Arunachal Pradesh, which is integral to India, is claimed by China as their own part. Relations between India and China are polite but the air of suspicion never wades away. Though India and China are successful trade partners but this hasn't filled the trust deficit between these two countries.
The image has invited the wrath of Chinese bloggers who have taken to micro blog, Weibo to express their anger. One user accused the company of “forgetting its roots” while other “Xiaomi wants to sell out its country to make larger sales."
Xiaomi (which is often called apple of china and is accused of copying its design) is having a golden run in India's smart phone market. The company has developed an extraordinary loyal fan base in India in a very short duration. It has adopted unique marketing strategies and skillfully used the social media to expand its user base.
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