China’s Oppo cancels online launch event in India amid calls to boycott Chinese products

Oppo cancelled the online launch event of its Oppo Find X2 series flagship smartphone in India on Wednesday after a border clash between the two countries that has renewed calls from local Indian trader groups to shun Chinese products, reports Reuters.

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Oppo had earlier announced the live unveiling of its new Find X2 smartphone models would be held on Wednesday, but a YouTube link that had to go live at 4 p.m. local time was not available for viewing.

To launch the phone, the company instead uploaded a 20-minute, pre-recorded video which included a brief highlight of Oppo’s efforts to support Indian authorities in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

The Chinese company has a phone-assembly plant in India. Chinese smartphone brands, including Oppo and Xiaomi, account for eight of every 10 smartphones sold in India.

The Confederation of All India Traders, a group representing roughly 70 million brick-and-mortar retailers, said on Wednesday its members will boycott imported Chinese goods despite the loss their businesses will suffer.

“The current government will play hardball… I do not think any new approvals for China proposals will happen in a hurry,” said Abhishek Saxena, co-founder of Indian law firm Phoenix Legal that advises Chinese clients.