Chinese President Xi Jinping began his first visit to the United States in six years on Tuesday in his bulletproof, 5.5-meter Hongqi sedan.
He arrived in California for a high-profile meeting with President Joe Biden and to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
President Xi descended the steps of his Air China jet onto the tarmac of San Francisco International Airport and headed straight into his motorcade to his hotel.
Its specially designed Hongqi, codenamed N701, costs at least $700,000 and is equipped with anti-missile armor plates, thick bulletproof windows and systems to protect against biological and chemical weapons.
But the Chinese vehicle is dwarfed by President Biden’s 10-ton Cadillac, which is worth $1.5 million and features night vision cameras, tear gas cannons and eight inches of armor.
Chinese President Xi Jinping began his first visit to the United States in six years on Tuesday in his bulletproof, 5.5-meter Hongqi sedan
Its specially designed Hongqi, codenamed N701, costs at least $700,000 and is equipped with anti-missile armor plates, thick bulletproof windows and systems to protect against biological and chemical weapons.
But the Chinese vehicle is dwarfed by President Biden’s 10-ton Cadillac, which is worth $1.5 million and features night vision cameras, tear gas cannons and eight inches of armor.
Hongqi translates to Red Flag in English and it is a subsidiary of car manufacturer FAW Car Co, the oldest car manufacturer in China.
It was founded in 1959 with the main purpose of manufacturing vehicles for high-ranking government officials.
President Xi’s N701, which has been modified from the Hongqi L5, is described as China’s version of the Rolls-Royce Phanton, but more exclusive, expensive and more imposing.
The luxury sedan is 5.5 meters long, weighs at least 3.1 tons and is powered by a six-liter V12 turbo engine that produces 408 hp.
It has been heavily customized to protect the Chinese president and comes with a host of special features.
Although many of the specifications are state secret, the car features missile armor plates to withstand heavy fire and direct impact from bombs.
It also has massive 21-inch rubber wheels that are bulletproof, systems to protect against chemical and biological weapons, and thick reinforced bulletproof glass.
The official state car, which debuted during President Xi’s visit to Hong Kong on July 1, 2022, can reach speeds of at least 210 kilometers per hour.
The front of the N701 also features Hongqi’s famous red flag motif stretching across the hood and two small flag holders on the fenders. Hongqi will only build fifty models in the next ten years.
President Xi told a Communist Party executive in 2012 that Chinese leaders should only use Chinese cars.
‘It doesn’t seem right to me to be in a foreign car. “Many foreign leaders use limousines from their own countries unless they are not available,” he said.
The first time he transported Chinese-made vehicles during a state visit was in New Zealand in 2014, where he transported two Hongqi L5 cars.
First produced in 2014, the L5 is known as the most expensive Chinese-made car ever available at $700,000.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s motorcade prepares for departure after arriving at San Francisco International Airport
President Xi’s N701, which has been modified from the Hongqi L5, is described as China’s version of the Rolls-Royce Phanton, but more exclusive, expensive and more imposing.
The luxury sedan is 5.5 meters long, weighs at least 3.1 tons and is powered by a six-liter V12 turbo engine that produces 408 hp.
President Xi told a Communist Party executive in 2012 that Chinese leaders should only use Chinese cars
But the N701 pales in comparison to President Biden’s Beast.
The doors of his vehicle weigh as much as those of a Boeing 757 aircraft and the tires are pneumatic run-flats, so the vehicle can still move even when the tires are deflated.
The US President can also use an advanced communications system built into the Beast, which weighs approximately 20,000 pounds.
There is also a safe oxygen system and a supply of the president’s blood in case of emergency.
The Beast is built to withstand chemical and biological attacks, as well as bullets and explosions, and its chassis is said to be essentially ‘indestructible’.
The windows are said to be three inches thick, while the steel and ceramic armor is eight inches thick.
In the rear compartment of the car, the president and up to four passengers are separated from the driver by a glass partition.
The president is the only one who can lower the dividing wall at the push of a button.
While many of the Beast’s features remain top secret, the trunk is also equipped with a fire suppression system, tear and smoke screens.
In the back seat is a satellite phone with a direct line to Vice President Kamala Harris and the Pentagon.
The doors on Biden’s beast weigh as much as those of a Boeing 757 plane and the tires are pneumatic run-flats so the vehicle can still move even when empty
The Beast is built to withstand chemical and biological attacks, as well as bullets and explosions, and the chassis is reportedly ‘indestructible’
Biden’s summit with President Xi will be the first face-to-face meeting between US and Chinese leaders in a year and is seen by US officials as an opportunity to reduce friction
And the Beast’s fuel tank is armored and filled with special foam that prevents it from exploding even from a direct hit.
Developed by General Motors, the vehicle’s chassis is made of steel, while the car’s body is a combination of steel, aluminum, titanium and ceramic.
Xi is on his first visit to the US since 2017. He will meet Biden at an undisclosed location in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday morning and then attend the APEC forum’s annual summit.
His summit with Biden will be the first face-to-face meeting between the US and Chinese leaders in a year and is seen by US officials as an opportunity to reduce friction in what many see as the world’s most dangerous rivalry.
Xi waved from the steps of his Air China plane upon arrival and descended to meet US officials on the tarmac, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns.
Earlier, Biden said he wanted to improve relations with China after a period of strained ties and would seek to resume normal communications between the two superpowers, including military-to-military contacts.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Biden and Xi would also discuss the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza and U.S. efforts to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian military.
Economic issues will be high on the agenda.
Biden said the US does not want to decouple from China but wants to change economic relations for the better. His administration has gone to great lengths to “derisk” some crucial U.S. supply chains from China as economic and military competition between the two countries has increased.
Xi, who is trying to lure foreign investment during APEC to counter his country’s recent struggles, is expected to dine with top US business officials on Wednesday.