Sometime back in the 1990s Qantas flew their 747SPs under a subsidiary company called something like Australian Asia Airlines. This was specifically for operating flights to Taiwan and had a ribbon instead of the kangaroo on the tail - I believe it had something to do with the Chinese and diplomacy.
I am not sure when this venture wound up, or when the aircraft were repainted and transferred back to Qantas mainline, but I am pretty sure the 747SPs were retired around '01-'02.