Xi Jinping's 'Special Plane' Falls Short of Air Force One

As Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for his visit to Washington this week, attention is turning to the aircraft that will carry him. China's 'special plane' is less well-known than Air Force One, despite both countries using Boeing 747s for presidential travel.

The US uses two highly customised Boeing 747-200Bs, designated VC-25A and bearing tail numbers 28000 and 29000, to transport the president. In contrast, China does not operate a dedicated presidential aircraft, with planes used for Xi's overseas trips drawn from Air China's fleet.

Lu Peixin, a former acting director of the protocol department at China's foreign ministry, explained in 2013 that this arrangement was chosen to avoid waste and increase aircraft utilisation. He also cited flight safety as a concern, noting that an aircraft has millions of components and cannot simply sit idle for long periods.

The aircraft used by Xi have evolved over time, with him arriving in New Delhi last weekend aboard a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental. This plane is the passenger version of the 747-8 and the last passenger variant of the 747 ever built.