How does Xi Jinping’s ‘special plane’ compare with Air Force One?

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington this week, attention is already turning to the aircraft that will carry him and how it stacks up against America’s famous presidential plane.

The aircraft carrying China’s leader, often referred to in state media and official statements as a zhuan ji, or special plane, remains far less known to the world than Air Force One, despite both countries using Boeing 747s for presidential travel.

For a head of state, a presidential aircraft is more than a means of transport. Its range, on-board facilities and security systems reflect the practical demands of presidential travel and diplomatic missions, and the aircraft itself becomes part of the visual choreography of a state visit.

In a sense, it is one of the first symbols of a country to arrive in the host country, appearing in the sky before the president steps onto the tarmac.