China's aviation ambitions: Experts discuss the C919's global aspirations and hurdles

South China Morning Post

4 days ago

The C919, China's first indigenous narrowbody jet, embodies Beijing's progress in pursuing technology self-sufficiency and holds the potential to reshape the global aviation market, but it faces a host of difficulties in challenging established giants Boeing and Airbus.
In the latest China Future Tech webinar, Jason Li Hanming, a US-based aviation analyst, along with SCMP reporters Frank Chen, William Zheng and moderator Ralph Jennings, discussed questions surrounding the home-grown Chinese passenger jet as the US global trade war adds to its challenges.
Is the Comac C919 true innovation or is it based on existing models made by Airbus or Boeing?
Comac had to be a system integrator in order to produce a commercially viable, practicable and reliable aircraft, said Li. Figuring out how to combine everything together is the first step that will allow more space for the country to put innovation into their aircraft, he said.
Can China grow its large aircraft sector as fast as it did with the high-speed railway system?
China's high-speed railway was a 'different story', according to Li. For one, China Railway, as the sole decision maker, could push things forward quickly, especially as the country was building infrastructure from scratch. In aerospace, China is moving 'inside a prebuilt system' involving many different stakeholders, he said.
But China's political and economic system, which allows the country to mobilise resources towards a so-called national strategy, remains the same for building aircraft, and Beijing would help Comac to coordinate in areas such as talents and suppliers, said Zheng.
A C919 passenger plane performs a flight at the Singapore Air Show, February 20, 2024. Photo: Xinhua
Can Comac evade supply chain disruptions in the US-led global trade war?
The trade war does create uncertainties for Comac in terms of the delivery and price of components, and the future remains unclear amid ongoing negotiations between China and the US, Li said. While Comac is able to source certain parts domestically, such as jet engines made by the Aero Engine Corporation of China, it is less fuel efficient than its Western counterparts.