Advertisement
China’s C919 passenger plane
EconomyChina Economy

C919 production to ‘greatly improve’ as Shanghai eyes R&D, industrial chain uplift

  • Shanghai is seeking to usher in a boom in aircraft manufacturing and development with a raft of fresh policies to support production of China’s C919

2-MIN READ2-MIN
4
A young spectator visits the C919 large simulation cabin on display at the Science and Technology Expo in Beijing. Photo? Xinhau
Frank Chenin Shanghai

Shanghai has unveiled a raft of fresh policies, including engine research and development support and allowances of up to 100 million yuan (US$13.8 million), to help expand the production capacity of China’s home-grown C919 narrowbody passenger jet.

The policies released last week would “greatly improve” production capacity within two years, with Shanghai also set to invest heavily in local industrial chains.

Advertisement

The document released on the municipal government’s website, though, did not provide a target.

However, an earlier state media report indicated that the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), after setting up a second assembly line at its Shanghai factory, was speeding up its expansion after three major state-owned airlines placed 100 orders each since April.

Shanghai also vowed in the document to form a world-leading industrial chain comprising 60 key enterprises by the end of 2026, with investment exceeding 70 billion yuan (US$9.7 billion).

The scale of the aircraft industry would reach 80 billion yuan by 2026, it added.

According to the Shanghai party newspaper, the Jiefang Daily, Shanghai’s aircraft-related industrial output hit 30 billion yuan last year.

Advertisement

As China plays catch up with the United States and Europe to develop, produce and sell passenger jets, Shanghai is playing a key part.

The city, which is home to the state-owned Comac, is on the cusp of ushering in a boom in aircraft manufacturing and development.

Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x