Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has terminated employees and revoked executive bonuses following fan outrage over a planned partnership with a controversial tech influencer.

According to Marketing-Interactive, Xiaomi’s PR team planned an annual collaboration framework with an influencer known as 萬能的大熊 (loosely translated as “The Almighty Bear”), who has more than 2.57 million followers on Weibo and covers automotive, digital, and e-commerce topics. The influencer has a history of publicly insulting Xiaomi users and previously stated, “Xiaomi won’t die; it’s the fans who will,” according to Chinese media reports, including Sino Finance.

The crisis escalated on January 5 when the influencer claimed in a group chat that “Xiaomi funded me.” This assertion prompted Xiaomi’s loyal fan base to flood the Weibo accounts of executives Xu Fei and Xu Jieyun with protests, accusing the company of betraying its users.

Company Takes Swift Action

Xiaomi launched a special investigation and reached preliminary conclusions that led to severe accountability measures. The company terminated all contact with the influencer and pledged not to collaborate with him again.

“We deeply understand that all of Xiaomi’s achievements today stem from the unwavering support of our fans,” a Xiaomi spokesperson said in a statement on the company’s official Weibo account. “We apologise once again and welcome everyone to continue monitoring us.”

Executive Consequences

The company terminated the personnel involved in the incident. Group Vice Presidents Xu Fei and Xu Jieyun both received criticism and had their 2025 bonuses and performance incentives revoked.

The statement acknowledged that the incident “severely harmed the feelings of its fans.” The influencer’s official Weibo account has been deleted since the incident.

Following Xiaomi’s public apology, the influencer described the situation as “a regrettable ending,” according to Marketing-Interactive.

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