Biden Praises Xi Jinping Saying, "This Car Is Really Cool"
On the 15th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden, who held a U.S.-China summit in San Francisco for the first time in a year, was seen highly praising Chinese President Xi Jinping's official vehicle. Xi's car is known as the Hongqi, China's top luxury car, often called the continental version of Rolls-Royce.
According to major foreign media on the day, after completing the U.S.-China summit for the first time in a year with President Biden in Woodside near San Francisco, the two leaders introduced each other's official vehicles in front of the entrance of the Filoli Estate, the venue of the summit, creating a warm atmosphere.
When President Biden pointed to President Xi's official vehicle parked in front of the entrance and said, "This car is really cool," President Xi replied, "This is my Hongqi. It's domestically made." When a Chinese aide opened the rear door of the vehicle, President Biden bent down to look inside and admired, "Oh, it's similar to my Cadillac."
The vehicle praised by President Biden is known as the N701 from Hongqi, the sedan brand of China FAW Group. It is an armored and bulletproof vehicle developed with an investment of 570 million yuan (about 102 billion KRW) by FAW Group, with an annual production volume of five units. President Xi also used this car when attending the G20 summit held in Bali, Indonesia, in November last year.
President Xi had mainly used vehicles from the host country's brand during overseas visits for a while. However, since 2018, he has been using Hongqi. Hongqi means "Red Flag," sharing its name with China's five-star national flag. Analysts suggest that President Xi mainly uses Hongqi, China's top luxury car brand, to conduct limousine diplomacy.
President Xi's official vehicle is equipped with armored plates designed to withstand small arms fire and rocket launches and is powered by a powerful 6-liter V12 engine. It was manufactured with a length of 5.555 meters, utilizing the number 5, which symbolizes luck or completion in China. According to Bloomberg News, the price is reported to be $800,000 (about 1.04 billion KRW) based on the consumer model.
President Biden's official vehicle is called "The Beast." It is estimated to be worth $1.5 million (about 1.95 billion KRW) and is said to have functions almost equivalent to a "White House on wheels." Although the detailed features of The Beast are classified, it reportedly weighs 20,000 pounds and can accommodate seven passengers. It is equipped with special protective features to guard against chemical attacks, as well as bulletproof and explosion-proof capabilities.
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