A review of the history of China's Hongqi parade cars
發佈日期: 2025-08-29 19:16
TVB News
A large military parade will be held on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Apart from China's latest weapons, the car carrying China's leader is also under the spotlight.
Danni Zhou takes a look at the history of China's parade cars.
At the initial stage of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the cars that Chinese leaders rode to inspect troops were American jeeps seized during another war and sedans made in the Soviet Union.
It was in 1958 that the iconic Red Flag limousine, also known as Hongqi, was launched.
A year later, a Hongqi CA72 was first seen at a military parade as the leader's inspection car for the nation's 10th anniversary celebration. Six Hongqi sedans also wheeled out in formation.
Luo Wenyou, Curator of the Beijing Classic Car Museum, said the line came off from the First Automobile Works assembly in Changchun, which at the time mobilised cutting-edge resources from the entire country. He stressed the Hongqi cars were made by hand.
Since then, the brand has remained in use in China's large military parades.
The museum showcased identical models of the Hongqi parade cars in 1959 and 1984, featuring fan-shaped radiator grille covers, headlights and indicators that represented "heavenly round and earthly square."
The five red flags on the surface signified workers, peasants, soldiers, students and intellectuals.
And the Chinese elements were seen in the "Tiananmen Square" carved on the dashboard.
Luo said the earliest versions were equipped with seats that could be turned over as well as auto-lifting armrests.
He added the ability to produce these high-end parade cars at the early days of the nation's founding shows that China can stand proud in the family of nations.
Beijing has held 16 massive military parades since 1949.
Luo said the cars' evolution reflects the rise of national power and the current design is more avant-garde, gearing to international standards.
The curator noted he expects the new generation of cars to retain the existing essence while keeping up with the times.
