UNITED STATES — During President Xi Jinping's high-profile meeting with President Joe Biden on Wednesday (Nov 15), there was one thing that caught the American leader's eyes: Mr Xi's custom armoured Hongqi N701 limousine, which Mr Biden called a "beautiful vehicle".

The two leaders from China and the United States vowed at the high-stakes summit in Woodside, California to reduce soaring tensions between the two superpowers as they met for the first time in a year. The last time they met in person was during the Group of 20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

In the US this round, the pair showed off their positive relations as they traded remarks on each other's cars in a short video clip broadcasted by the state-owned China Central Television.

In the video, Mr Biden is heard expressing his admiration for the black sedan: "It's a beautiful vehicle."

Proudly, Mr Xi responds in Mandarin: "It's a Hongqi (Red Flag) car, made in China."

He then invites the US president to "check it out", gesturing to the car as a back door pops open.

Mr Biden takes a quick peek inside before remarking: "Oh! It's like that Cadillac we have over there. International meetings, they fly those with me."

As he shakes hands with Mr Xi, Mr Biden continues: "You know what they call that car? They call it The Beast."

The presidents share a laugh before thanking each other and saying their goodbyes.

The incident quickly went viral on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, where the hashtag #拜登指着红旗车说beautiful# ("Biden points at Hongqi car, calls it beautiful") peaked at the second position on the Hot Search list.

It has since received 310 million views, 13,000 discussions and 162,000 interactions, with many users expressing pride at the international acknowledgement of their homegrown brand.

On Thursday, China's foreign ministry representative Hua Chunying posted the video on her official X (formerly Twitter) page. She also uploaded a photo of the Hongqi and Cadillac parked next to each other outside the picturesque Filoli Estate, where the talks were held.

Reposting Ms Hua's photo of the two presidential cars, one of the top Weibo posts on the topic boasted: "Our eye-catching domestically produced car."

In the comments, users agreed that the Hongqi is "indeed beautiful" and even "more atmospheric" than Mr Biden's Cadillac.

One joked that Mr Biden could consider "upgrading" to a Hongqi as well, while another suggested: "America's Cadillac presidential car is called Beast. Should we also come up with a codename, like Hunter or something?"

Others looked back fondly on how "times have really changed", writing: "It used to be us looking at America's skyscrapers and endless stream of compact cars with envy.

"But now, the situation has been completely reversed. It is Americans' turn to look to China's infrastructure, China's manufacturing, and especially China's automotive industry — and give (us) a heartfelt thumbs-up, and exclaim in admiration."

The Hongqi N701, much like "The Beast", was transported across the ocean for Mr Xi's first visit to the US in six years. Here are some things to know about the Chinese leader's latest ride.

1. NATIONAL SYMBOL, NATIONAL CAR

Hongqi, a brand owned by the pioneering FAW (First Automobile Works) Group, has long been seen as a symbol of quality and prestige in China as the first car independently produced by the country in 1958.

The China Research Center said that a previous version of the car — the Hongqi CA72, the first model used by Chairman Mao Zedong — was declared China's "National Car" in 1964 and became the official vehicle for national events, diplomatic missions and national leaders.

2. SECURITY FEATURES

Mr Xi's Hongqi N701, which was debuted during his visit to Hong Kong in 2022, reportedly measures about 6m in length and 2m in width, with 53cm-thick wheels. It weighs at least 3,100kg.

On top of bulletproof windows and wheels, Britain's Daily Mail news publication estimated that the car's armour plates can withstand heavy fire and direct impact from bombs. An air compression system is said to protect occupants from chemical attacks.

3. RAISING THE RED FLAG

As is customary for Hongqi cars, a red flag is displayed on the hood. Flag-pole holders adorn the front fenders, while the emblem on the back features the Chinese characters for "red flag" in Mao's calligraphy.

The N701 has shiny chrome accents across its large radiator grille, window trim and stretched B-pillar. It is also identifiable by its large rear windows, which are uncommon in state limousines.

4. FULL SPEED AHEAD

Technical specifications about the N701 remain a mystery, but the Daily Mail stated that it is powered by a 6L V12 engine with 408 horsepower — the same engine present in the CA7600 model, a version of the previous-generation Hongqi L5.

Due to security concerns, the sedan's other features are confidential and it is not known what other safety components are included.