Xiaomi Gateway 2 requires Chinese phone number?

Can’t seem to find the answer to this one. Bought a xiaomi gateway 2 (UK plug). Registered an Android account with Mi Home. If I try to choose the Mainland China server as everyone suggests, it requires a Chinese phone number. So I registered for the Hong Kong version and then “switched” regions to Mainland China. However, when its on the Mainland China server it can’t “find” my Xiaomi Gateway 2. When I switch back to the Hong Kong, or USA server, it “finds” it.

Not sure if this means I have to somehow get a Chinese phone number or if the newest update just won’t allow it to be discovered on the Chinese server.

I am assuming that this is the reason I can’t get access to developer mode. I don’t have any page that shows the gateway version to click on and get to developer mode.

Spent hours trying to find an answer to this. Anyone?

There was a post that seems to say getting into developer mode had been removed from the MiHome app: Aqara Hub v3 Developer Key?

But not sure about the registration process, I’m not sure if it actually needs a valid phone number, and if it is valid, then I must have been able (at the time) add my New Zealand one.