Xi's favourite Hongqi car is PM Modi's designated vehicle during China visit
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Beijing: The Chinese government has provided Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the country’s prestigious ‘Made in China’ Hongqi car during his two-day stay in Tianjin.
PM Modi who is participating the SCO Summit will move around in Hongqi L5, also known as the Red Flag, which is President Xi Jinping’s preferred mode of transport.
Hongqi cars were launched 1958 by the state-owned First Automotive Works (FAW) for the elite of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
President Xi Jinping uses Hongqi, or the Red Flag during official visits, at military parades and when he attended a summit in Chennai in 2019, Xi was seen moving around in the car.
As the car has historically been a favourite of communist party leaders in China it is often referred to as a ‘political’ car.
One of China’s iconic sedan brands, Hongqi car was back in the news after Xi directed CPC leaders to use locally-manufactured cars instead of foreign brands.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi gave up his Audi A6 car for Hongqi H7 sedan in 2023, thus giving a fillip to the brand.
Meanwhile, during his visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin will use his presidential ‘Aurus’ car, a luxury vehicle manufactured by Russian automaker Aurus Motors.