CHANGCHUN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Hongqi, an automobile brand under China’s leading automaker FAW Group Co., Ltd., posted rising sales in the first five months of the year.

A total of 118,000 Hongqi-branded vehicles were sold from January to May, up 116 percent year on year, according to FAW Group.

The group plans to double its 2020 sales of Hongqi vehicles to 400,000 units this year. The brand has rolled out multiple high-end models as well as new-energy vehicles.

Hongqi, meaning "red flag," is China’s iconic sedan brand. Established in 1958, the brand has been used in parades for national celebrations.

Founded in 1953 in the northeastern city of Changchun, capital of Jilin Province, FAW Group is regarded as the cradle of China’s auto industry.