Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s grand entry to Beijing on May 14, his cavalcade is already on the move in the Chinese capital.
Two black SUVs with tinted windows and US government plates were spotted on a Beijing highway, according to images that circulated on Wednesday, signalling the start of an intense security build-up for the year’s most significant diplomatic event – the China-US summit.
Chinese social media is full of the images showing heavily armoured US Secret Service Suburban cars, which have long served as primary SUVs for the presidential motorcade, alongside the US president’s limousine, nicknamed “the Beast”.
Some of the images included details of a vehicle’s plate – D01290 – which prompted online jokes about whether the cars had permits to operate on Beijing’s roads. “Did the foreign cars get an entry permit?” a social media user quipped.
The SUVs were reportedly delivered in recent days by US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.
Since May 1, multiple C-17s have landed at Beijing Capital International Airport carrying specialised infrastructure for the presidential visit, including armoured vehicles, Secret Service communications equipment and federal security advance teams.
The centrepiece of the motorcade is the presidential limousine, “the Beast”, a custom-built Cadillac also code-named “Stagecoach” that is widely regarded as a moving fortress.
According to parent company General Motors, the current version is based on its CT6 model and was first deployed in 2018 during Trump’s visit to New York. Priced at US$1.5 million, it weighs an estimated 6,800-9,100kg (15,000-20,000lbs) and is mounted on a heavy-duty truck chassis measuring about 5.5 metres (18 feet) in length.
The body – reportedly made of steel, aluminium, ceramic and titanium – is designed to withstand bullets and bomb attacks. The windows are said to be fitted with 7.6cm (3-inch) multilayered bulletproof glass, while the body is up to 20.3cm thick.
The seven-seater limo is also reported to feature night-vision driving systems, tear gas cannons, smokescreens and electrified door handles.
A sealed cabin with an independent oxygen supply to guard against chemical attacks carries the president’s blood type in a refrigerator in case of injury.
The vehicle’s capabilities include a “run-flat device” in each wheel, which ensures the car’s mobility even if tyres are damaged or destroyed. Inside, it is equipped with state-of-the-art communications systems, including internet access, a secure telephone network and facilities to send the nuclear codes.
Several foreign leaders have travelled in “the Beast” alongside the president, most recently Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last August. The Trump-Putin ride lasted about 10 minutes.
President Xi Jinping also uses a custom-built limousine made by luxury brand Hongqi, also known as Red Flag, the Chinese government’s preferred marque for official state vehicles.
While details about the Chinese presidential model remain scarce, it reportedly measures about 5.5 metres in length, is fully armoured and equipped with encrypted communication networks. Hongqi also produces China’s most expensive and exclusive domestically made car, with commercial versions priced at around US$1 million.
While the two presidential vehicles differ in design and origin, both are built to serve as rolling command centres with extensive security capabilities.
The rest of the American president’s motorcade is a tightly coordinated, armoured convoy managed by the US Secret Service and built for maximum security and administrative efficiency.
Often described as a “White House on wheels”, the cavalcade includes its own emergency response force, communications unit and medical facilities.
Apart from “the Beast”, the convoy typically includes 30-50 vehicles, including decoy limos, a reconnaissance route car, sweeper cars and motorcycles, a “watchtower” electronic countermeasures vehicle and counter-assault team cars.
The motorcade features specialised vehicles equipped to counter nuclear, biological or chemical threats, as well as ambulances.
The SUVs spotted in Beijing are modified to carry extreme weight. They are fitted with heavy steel armour and bulletproof glass to protect against gunfire, along with run-flat tyres. The vehicles also carry hi-tech jamming equipment designed to block the radio signals used to set off roadside bombs.
At least two presidential airlift helicopters – either Marine One Sea Kings or Black Hawks – are also deployed in advance as part of the security detail.
Trump is expected to remain in Beijing during his two-day visit due to a tight schedule and security concerns, as the South China Morning Post first reported in March.
“Adding a second destination is likely to compromise security and create a logistical nightmare, so both sides agreed that the visit will be in Beijing only,” a source told SCMP at the time. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
