The Xiaomi sales space on the Cellular Global Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
BARCELONA — U.S. President Donald Trump’s endured clashes with China over tech and industry looms bulky over Chinese language smartphone distributors who’ve grown globally within the era few years, growing dubiousness over whether or not a few of these corporations could also be focused through Washington, in a similar fashion to Huawei.
On the Cellular Global Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Chinese language electronics avid gamers from Xiaomi to Honor and Oppo had been out in power, appearing off their actual units. Xiaomi even had its actual electrical automobile — the SU7 Extremely – on display because it appeared to form a buzz.
Xiaomi additionally introduced a high-end smartphone hour Honor introduced a $10 billion funding in AI. Oppo touted its AI privateness options and alternative lesser-known avid gamers like Tecno, owned through Transsion, unveiled merchandise like AI glasses.
Huawei used to be additionally in attendance, and confirmed off the Mate XT, a trifold smartphone which it has introduced in global markets because it charts an excessively wary comeback to the worldwide sphere.
To some degree, Huawei serves as a cautionary story to alternative Chinese language avid gamers. The Shenzhen-headquartered company used to be as soon as the most important smartphone seller on this planet till U.S. sanctions overwhelmed its handset industry.
Simply as Huawei is having a look to dip its toe into global smartphone gross sales once more and alternative Chinese language avid gamers are rising temporarily, Trump is again within the White Space, which is prone to overshadow those corporations’ presence at MWC, in step with Ben Log, analyst at CCS Perception.
“I think also unfortunately for Huawei, just as they are starting to get back on their feet, the re-emergence of Trump and his overall strategy with regards to ‘America First’ and placing pressure on the Chinese, not only affects Huawei, but it affects all of the Chinese manufacturers that will be at MWC,” Log instructed CNBC.
“I think it’s very much going to be the elephant in the room at MWC with regards to a huge amount of investment and lavish spending by the Chinese manufacturers, with the shadow of what’s going to happen in coming months hanging over them.”
Xiaomi, Oppo and Honor weren’t straight away to be had for remark when contacted through CNBC.
Chinese language avid gamers had been a trait of MWC for a number of years as they’ve expanded their footprint globally. Now 8 of the lead 10 smartphone avid gamers are headquartered in China, in step with Canalys information. Xiaomi as an example is the arena’s third-largest.
Xiaomi displayed its brandnew SU7 Extremely electrical automobile on the Cellular Global Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
Xiaomi has grown its presence in Europe hour others, like Transsion, have serious about rising markets. With that luck additionally comes the potential of additional scrutiny, Log mentioned.
“The danger for these manufacturers is if they put their head too far above the parapet, they’ll start to get scrutiny from the U.S. administration,” Log mentioned.
“So I think they have to tread a fine line in Barcelona and make sure that they don’t make too much noise because the last thing they want is to be the poster child for Chinese technology and become the latest focal point for Trump and his advisors.”
Up to now, Trump has serious about elevating price lists on Chinese language imports. However there was tiny motion at the generation restriction entrance. Beneath the former President Joe Biden, Washington introduced in different rounds of restrictions that appeared to short off China’s get admission to to complicated generation in subjects corresponding to semiconductors.
Europe center of attention
Alternative analysts agree there’s a chance of higher scrutiny however level to a few key the reason why alternative Chinese language producers will not be limited the best way Huawei used to be.
Francisco Jeronimo, vp for information and analytics at World Information Company (IDC), mentioned that the Chinese language manufacturers are focusing their efforts on Europe in lieu than the U.S., which might support deflect scrutiny from Washington.
“They [Chinese players] definitely don’t have a chance selling in the U.S., but if they continue targeting Europe as they are, I don’t think that’s a risk and I don’t think it will come to a point where the U.S. administration will tell whatever countries in Europe they need to stop selling Xiaomi or Honor or any other brand,” Jeronimo instructed CNBC.
“I don’t think there’s a massive risk because at the end of the day as they are not targeting U.S. consumers.”
Honor introduced at $10 billion AI funding known as the Honor Alpha Plan on the Cellular Global Congress 2025 in Barcelona.
Arjun Kharpal | CNBC
One more reason why the U.S. would possibly not goal Chinese language companies as closely as Huawei is as a result of it will hurt American tech companies, in step with Neil Shah, spouse at Counterpoint Analysis.
“It’s hard to say how much Trump will tighten the screws on Chinese players because they’re dependent on Google, Microsoft and Qualcomm,” Shah instructed CNBC.
Chinese language avid gamers promoting outdoor of China run Google’s Android running machine on their smartphones. In the meantime, lots of them depend on chips from U.S. company Qualcomm. Many Chinese language smartphone makers additionally promote pc and capsules which might run Microsoft’s Home windows running machine.
Limiting Chinese language corporations’ get admission to to this generation may hurt U.S. companies, Shah argues.
“Qualcomm will lose out, Microsoft will lose out and eventually Google will lose out as well,” Shah mentioned.
