In the 1970s, after introducing the B707, China Airlines (CAL) planned to acquire wide-body aircraft, which were trending at the time.

In 1974, CAL ordered two DC-10-30 aircraft from McDonnell Douglas. The company produced and completed the livery for at least one aircraft However, it is rumored that the order was canceled because Delta Air Lines sold their newer 747s. I believe the cancellation was due to the Turkish Airlines Flight 981 crash that led to government opposition, prompting CAL to purchase 747s instead. The completed aircraft was ferried to Yuma for storage. This marked the first time the DC-10 eluded CAL.

The second time was in 1978, when CAL was choosing between the DC-10, L-1011, and A300B. Ultimately, CAL selected the A300, indicating that the DC-10 was not destined to join their fleet.