Recommended
The visit to Washington by Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, has sparked comparisons between the armored limousines that accompany the two most powerful men in the world: Trump's 'The Beast' and Xi's so-called 'Red Flag'.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base on Wednesday, and after the welcome ceremony, both couples departed in their respective official vehicles.
Both leaders seek to project an image of good rapport despite tensions between Washington and Beijing over issues such as tariffs, the Iran war, the future of Taiwan, or the race for artificial intelligence.
The features of their limousines, which also function as symbols of power for the United States and China, are surrounded by secrecy for security reasons, which fuels speculation about their capabilities.
The Beast, a bunker on wheels
The American 'The Beast', one of the great symbols of the Presidency alongside the Air Force One plane, is a Cadillac, the iconic luxury car brand owned by General Motors.
The current model used by Trump, manufactured specifically for the American president, entered service in 2018, with an estimated cost of 1.5 million dollars.
Although the Secret Service has not released specific details about its security systems, American media estimate that it weighs between 6.8 and 9.1 tons and that it combines Cadillac features with components typical of heavy-duty vehicles.
Considered a bunker on wheels, 'The Beast' is credited with multi-layer armor, doors with a weight similar to those of a Boeing 757, and tires capable of remaining operational after suffering damage, in addition to a sealed cabin with air filtration systems to protect the president against a chemical attack.
The secrecy of the Hongqi
The car used by Xi is an N701 model from the luxury brand Hongqi (which means 'Red Flag' in Chinese) belonging to the state group FAW, which the Chinese leader has used for his travel since 2022 and whose price some estimates place at around 700,000 dollars.
The Hongqi caught the attention of then-US President Joe Biden in 2023 during a meeting in San Francisco.
"It's a beautiful vehicle," the Democrat told Xi during a brief exchange in which they compared the Chinese car to his Cadillac, after the Chinese leader explained to him that it was a "Hongqi, domestically manufactured."
The N701 maintains the iconic red flag ornament on the hood, characteristic of the brand, but features a more elongated look than the brand's traditional models and retains a design reminiscent of cars from the 50s of the last century, in an aesthetic nod to the first Hongqi, which dates back to 1958.
Various reports place its length at over 5.5 meters and estimate its weight at about three tons, which would make it considerably lighter than 'The Beast,' although Beijing has not made its technical data or protection systems public.
While Trump's vehicle is designed to withstand a direct attack, Xi's Hongqi relies on the power of its engine to be able to escape at high speed in the event of an ambush.
Both limousines travel by plane to accompany the presidents on their international trips.
But while 'The Beast' has been the subject of media coverage for years, Xi's Hongqi remains practically out of public scrutiny, in a secrecy that fuels speculation about the capabilities of the Chinese automotive industry.
[Publicidad]