Interesting license plate numbers in China
A common license plate number in China consists of a province code, a city code and a 5-digit number. In recent years, certain license plates have become the symbols of either financial or political status. So when you walk on street and see a car with the privileged plate number, you know someone important is sitting in there.
The hottest and also most expensive license plate numbers for private cars in China are all 7’s, all 8’s and all 9’s, as for some reasons these numbers mean luck and fortune. All of such lucky numbers available in a city are taken by the most influential local business people almost unexceptionally.
Nevertheless, official vehicles use different set of numbers to show political status. In general, all numbers from 00001 to 00200 are reserved for official use, which ordinary citizens cannot even have their hands on them no matter how rich they are. The smaller the number, the higher the official’s rank will be. The party head, who always ranks number one in a city, of course has the privilege to use plate number “00001”. City’s second most powerful person, the mayor, would automatically take plate number “00002”.
But there is an exception. The mayor of one city didn’t want to take the “number 2” license plate, but chose to use “00100” instead.
Why? Here’s what he said:
“Looking from the left, I am number 1; looking from the right, I am also number one. Looking from the top, I am number one; looking from the bottom, I am still number one.”
This is a real story - not a joke.
If I were the president, I would chnage the name of “Air Force one” to “Air Force 00100″……