China’s home-grown C919 could break Airbus, Boeing duopoly with ‘brave step into foreign markets’
- China’s C919 home-grown narrow-body passenger jet was delivered to China Eastern Airlines in December after more than 14 years of development
- It was built to compete with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320, and a Mercator Institute for China Studies report suggests its impact could spread beyond its home market
China’s home-grown narrow-body passenger jet could break the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus in its home market and beyond despite its reliance of foreign parts, according to a new report by a Berlin-based think tank.
The Mercator Institute for China Studies (Merics) argued that the size of China’s aviation market, strong industrial policy and a sector dominated by state-owned companies gives the C919 an edge to advance the country’s “strategic objectives” in aviation.
Production glitches or safety issues aside, Comac’s domestic market share looks set to climb steadily in a huge and increasingly protected home market
“The C919’s market entry is a symbol of China’s technological rise and a source of national pride,” said Merics on Tuesday.
“Production glitches or safety issues aside, Comac’s domestic market share looks set to climb steadily in a huge and increasingly protected home market, with the company at some point reaching the scale to brave the step into foreign markets and global competition.”
China has strong ambition in the commercial aviation market and the central government has laid out plans for the C919 to gain 10 per cent domestic market share by 2025.
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C919 takes off: China shows off its first home-grown passenger jet