The Chinese government gave the film crews unprecedented access in making the film in China, but during early negotiations, many locations were ruled off-limits because they were considered "strategic", such as bridges, tunnels, and trains or filming anywhere near an Army base. By the end of production, the crew had proved themselves to the government so that permission was given for a shot of train coming out of a tunnel and across a river bridge as well as another shot that was made of peasants and water buffaloes on the property of an Army base.
Because the film was shot in 1982, it does not include modern Shanghai, Hong Kong, or Macau. It's replacement, "Reflections of China' (2003), features these new locations.