CHANGCHUN - Chinese automaker FAW Group plans to open more than 100 dealerships for Hongqi (Red Flag), the country's iconic sedan brand, this year.

In order to provide better sales, maintenance and repair services for customers, Hongqi will open the first 63 sales centers next week.

The company hopes to establish 100-plus such dealerships by the end of this year, covering almost all provincial capitals and major cities in the country.

The figure is expected to reach 170 by the end of 2020.

Hongqi made its debut as a parade sedan at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square during China's 10th National Day celebration in 1959. Since then, the Hongqi sedan has long been featured in parades during major national celebrations and has mostly been purchased by government departments.

In recent years, it has increasingly explored the private car market by expanding its product portfolio and sales networks.

Hongqi has set sales targets of 100,000 cars in 2020, 300,000 in 2025 and 500,000 in 2035.