China’s Air Force One: Inside Xi Jinping’s Boeing 747-8 Presidential Jet

While much of the world is familiar with America's Air Force One, China's presidential transport arrangements remain far less known, even though they are based on the same variant of the iconic Boeing-747. Air travel for China's top leadership—the CCP General Secretary, President, Premier and other senior officials —is managed by the 34th Division of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, which operates a fleet including six Boeing 737-300s, two 737-700s, four 737-800s, three Airbus A319s and ten Bombardier Challenger 800s. Notably, Chinese regulations restrict the use of dedicated presidential aircraft strictly to the President and the State Council Premier for international visits, other state leaders are required to use chartered planes instead.For Xi Jinping's own long-haul international travel, the aircraft of choice has been a specially converted Boeing 747-8I, carrying Air China branding and registration B-2479, converted and tested around 2016-2017 for exclusive head-of-state use.