The People's Republic of China supplies itself essentially with the few automobiles it requires for the authorities and officials. There is no infrastructure for popular motoring and building it would far exceed the existing economic power. Thus, the People's Republic of China builds almost only trucks and buses. The Shànghǎi is produced for taxi service and lower rank authorities, and the Hóngqí (Red Flag) is a large limousine that is reserved exclusively for the very high officials of the state, the communist party and the military, but chairman Mao himself personally uses a Mercedes 600.

Shanghai Tractor and Automobile Corporation from April 1969.

The production of the smaller CA 773 began this year.

10 April 1969, the first armoured CA772 produced after 3 years’ work.