This Day, That Year

Item from Aug 7, 1988, in China Daily: Beijing's Capital Taxi Company keeps a fleet of 40 Red Flag limousines to rent to foreign visitors ... The first Red Flag limousine rolled off the assembly line in July 1958 ... In the following year, 10 such models were made on the occasion of the 10th National Day ...

In 1965, the Changchun Automotive Plant, built as a key project with Soviet assistance to make three-ton lorries, designed Red Flag CA770 with three rows of seats ... By 1974, the Changchun plant was producing 300 limousines a year in three models.

Hongqi, or Red Flag, is China's flagship sedan.