Chinese President Xi Jinping's official state aircraft is a modified Boeing 747-8 operated by Air China. The aircraft, originally a commercial passenger jet that entered service in late 2014, was permanently withdrawn from commercial use in May 2015 and underwent an extensive conversion to include specialised security systems and a luxury VIP interior. It officially entered service as the primary state aircraft in autumn 2016.

The aircraft is equipped with satellite-based, military-grade encrypted communication systems, allowing President Xi to maintain constant contact with government and military command centres globally. It also features advanced threat-detection capabilities, missile-defence countermeasures, and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) shielding to protect its avionics and communication arrays from nuclear-level electronic warfare. EMP shielding is a combination of materials, barriers, and filters designed to block, absorb, or divert powerful bursts of electromagnetic energy that can destroy electronic equipment.

Before the introduction of this official presidential aircraft, Chinese leaders used commercial Boeing 747-400s, which were temporarily refitted with VVIP cabins by the Chinese Air Force approximately 20 days before a diplomatic mission. These planes were then converted back to standard passenger seating for public routes. Using commercial jets saved money and allowed China to utilise existing airline infrastructure.

China was reportedly close to introducing a special presidential plane modified in the United States in 2001, only to discover 27 listening devices hidden inside it. Beijing has neither confirmed nor denied the claim. In 2015, when President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, flew to the US, they travelled on a commercial aircraft. Lu Peixin, former acting director of the protocol department of China's Foreign Ministry, stated in a China Daily report that there is no 'special plane' for Chinese leaders — the planes are provided by Air China.

Before any presidential flight, the aircraft's interior was temporarily refitted with sofas and beds, and a month was spent carrying out security checks and carefully selecting the flight crew. However, there was a time when China almost introduced a presidential plane that had been specifically modified to resemble 'Air Force One'. In 2001, a customised aircraft refitted at San Antonio International Airport in the US had been prepared for then-President Jiang Zemin. However, after being delivered to Beijing, it was apparently found to have been fitted with 27 listening devices hidden inside. China did not confirm or deny the incident at the time, but a Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a press briefing a few months later that it was 'completely unnecessary to eavesdrop on China'.

What remains unknown is the full extent of the aircraft's capabilities and whether the 2001 incident was confirmed or denied by Chinese authorities. The details of the EMP shielding and its effectiveness against nuclear-level electronic warfare are also not fully disclosed.