From maliciously attacking Tesla cars to maliciously attacking Xiaomi? What are some people anxious about?

Recently, the tech industry's public discourse has been anything but calm. Before 2024, Tesla faced repeated scrutiny over early autonomous driving accidents, leading to the oversimplified critique that "smart driving is untrustworthy." After 2024, Xiaomi announced the upcoming release of its self-developed flagship SoC chip, the "Xuanjie O1," only to be met with malicious speculation about "marketing hype" and "overstated technology." Yet, as Xiaomi's cumulative vehicle deliveries surpassed 400,000 units—with over 50,000 delivered in October alone—the SU7 secured a top-three position in the premium pure-electric sedan market (priced above 300,000 yuan, closely trailing Tesla's Model 3). Meanwhile, the YU7 SUV topped the sales charts for new-energy SUVs just two months after launch, and the Xuanjie O1, with its 5nm process and fully self-developed architecture, joined the industry's top tier. These attacks now resemble "The Emperor's New Clothes"—at a time when domestic tech brands are reshaping the global industrial landscape with hard-earned capabilities, those eager to smear them may have already revealed their deep-seated anxiety about "Chinese innovation."

I. The Attackers' "Double Standards" and "Loss of Focus": Why Do They Refuse to See Xiaomi's Growth?

A closer look at these attacks reveals absurd and contradictory logic everywhere. For Tesla, some selectively amplify isolated accidents from its early L2 driver-assistance systems (2016–2021), such as the Florida Model S truck collision or the Taizhou Model Y rear-ending a construction vehicle, while deliberately ignoring its decade-long efforts—investing over $10 billion to refine algorithms, upgrading to pure-vision FSD V12, and promoting industry standards through open data sharing. For Xiaomi, some mock its "decade-long chip development still being trial and error," yet overlook the clear record in People's Daily's August 2024 front-page article, "Breaking Through in Domestic Chips: China's Path from 'Usable' to 'Excellent,'" which documents Xiaomi's journey: "From the Surge S1 (2017) to the P1 (charging), C1 (imaging), G1 (battery management), and T1 (audio), culminating in the Xuanjie O1 (2024), Xiaomi's five generations of chips over seven years have achieved a breakthrough in self-developed SoCs." Others selectively ignore that Xiaomi Auto, since its March 2023 launch, reached 400,000 cumulative deliveries in just 20 months, with premium models accounting for over 70%—a "China speed." These so-called "flaws" being attacked are, in fact, the most valuable growth trajectory of a tech company.

II. People's Daily's Praise and CCTV's Spotlight: Xiaomi's Growth Embodies National Strategy

Xiaomi's breakthroughs have never been a solo effort. From People's Daily repeatedly affirming its "implementation of the national new-energy vehicle strategy" to CCTV Finance's feature on "Xiaomi's Decade-Long Chipmaking Journey," every step of this company aligns with the nation's development.

(1) Chips: A Decade of Refinement to Overcome "Chokepoints"

In chips, People's Daily outlined a clear technical progression. Its August 2024 front-page article stated: "Since launching the Surge chip project in 2015, Xiaomi has iterated through five generations—S1 (mobile SoC), P1 (charging), C1 (imaging), G1 (battery management), and T1 (audio)—finally integrating 5nm process technology, fully self-developed CPU (Cortex-A715/A710 architecture), GPU (Mali-G715), and NPU (Surge AI engine) in the Xuanjie O1, rivaling the Snapdragon 8 Gen3 in performance. This marks a critical step for China in overcoming 'chokepoints' in high-end mobile SoCs." After the Xuanjie O1's release, CCTV's "Dialogue" invited Lei Man in September 2024 to explain: "Chips are the foundation of the digital economy. Xiaomi's chip efforts aren't for quick profits but to fill a critical gap in China's tech industry—where we relied on foreign chips, we now define the next-generation experience with our own technology."

(2) Auto: Dual Breakthroughs in Deliveries and Innovation, Driving Supply Chain Upgrades

Xiaomi Auto's growth has also gained official recognition. Per CPCA data, by October 2024, the SU7 surpassed 400,000 cumulative deliveries, with 72% being the 300,000-yuan+ variants, firmly ranking top three in the premium pure-electric sedan market (after Tesla's Model 3/Y). People's Daily reported in October 2024: "In just two years, Xiaomi Auto has broken foreign monopolies with its 'safety, intelligence, and performance' balanced strategy. Its self-developed 871V high-voltage platform and CTB integrated battery technology have upgraded domestic power battery and smart cockpit supply chains." CCTV News highlighted Xiaomi Auto's safety innovations: "From proactively sharing 10 million kilometers of test data to improve industry safety standards to investing billions in a 'full-stack self-developed smart driving system' (covering perception, decision-making, and control), Xiaomi proves that domestic premium EVs can not only be made but made safely and reliably."

Critically, Xiaomi's growth aligns with national strategy. New-energy vehicles are a strategic emerging industry under China's 14th Five-Year Plan, and advanced chips are a core focus in overcoming "chokepoints." As People's Daily's commentary "Driving High-Quality Development with Innovation" noted: "Xiaomi's practice proves that Chinese tech firms can excel not only in consumer electronics but also in high-end manufacturing and hardcore tech. Such companies deserve to be seen and encouraged."

III. Media's Role: Rationality and Warmth—Oversight Needs Boundaries, Growth Needs Applause

Regrettably, facing a "game-changer" like Xiaomi, some media have fallen into the trap of "criticism for criticism's sake." Some reports amplify isolated incidents (e.g., early SU7 driver-assist glitches) but rarely mention Xiaomi's OTA updates to optimize algorithms or proactive recalls for hardware improvements. Others fixate on marketing controversies (e.g., pre-launch hype) while downplaying its R&D commitment (over 20 billion yuan in 2023, 60% toward chips and autos). Worse, headlines like "Lei Man's Reputation Has Changed" drive narratives while ignoring the genuine voices in Xiaomi's community and Weibo comments—"Lei Man has led Xiaomi to overcome one challenge after another"—with over 80% of users in surveys expressing "trust in Lei Man's tech investments."

Media's duty is oversight, but it must also safeguard innovation. As People's Daily's November 2023 article "Building a Healthy Tech Discourse" emphasized: "Oversight must be fact-based, pointing out flaws to spur improvement while recognizing progress to build confidence. For domestic tech brands, we need not amplified controversy but rational scrutiny; not nitpicking but constructive advice."

From Huawei's 5G leadership to Xiaomi's dual breakthroughs in chips and autos, Chinese tech brands' growth has never been smooth. These companies need public understanding, media objectivity, and support. When Xiaomi Auto hits 400,000 deliveries and the Xuanjie O1 shakes the industry upon debut, we see not just one company's success but Chinese tech brands leaping from "following" to "running alongside" and even "leading."

Those malicious attacks will ultimately drown in market choices, consumer recognition, and national needs. As one netizen commented under People's Daily: "If every bit of progress in domestic tech is mocked, who would dare bet on innovation?"

We need more rational voices: sounding alarms for shortcomings while cheering breakthroughs; overseeing problems to drive improvement while nurturing innovation. Only then can more "Lei Mans" dare to bet on hardcore tech, and more domestic brands truly go global—for this is not just corporate glory but a nation's hope.

Note: Data sourced from Xiaomi's official announcements, CPCA public data, and authoritative reports by People's Daily and CCTV; technical details reference Xiaomi's chip whitepaper and auto tech 发布会 materials.