https://www.scmp.com/rss/519758/feed Track China’s ambitious aerospace advancements, from the home-grown commercial aircraft to space exploration, and their global impact. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Meredith Chen Meredith Chen When US special forces raided Caracas and abducted president Nicolas Maduro and his wife in early January, the Venezuelan capital was hit by widespread power outages and communication blackouts. Yet, within hours of the attacks, connectivity began to return – not from paralysed ground infrastructure, but from space. Elon Musk’s Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, activated communications services across Venezuela via its vast constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites on terminals residents... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351345/will-future-world-order-be-determined-who-controls-low-earth-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351345/will-future-world-order-be-determined-who-controls-low-earth-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Tang Meng Kit Tang Meng Kit The signal is clear. In the first quarter of this year, just three C919 aircraft were delivered – two to China Southern Airlines and one to Air China. For a Chinese programme expected to deliver more than 30 of these home-grown narrowbody airliners this year, the gap between ambition and reality has opened up quickly. Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) delivered 15 C919s last year, far short of the target of 75 set before supply disruptions forced a reset. Even the modest reported... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350858/engine-dilemma-lies-heart-successful-take-chinas-c919?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3350858/engine-dilemma-lies-heart-successful-take-chinas-c919?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip For the first time in its history – and in a striking departure from its long-standing doctrine of minimal economic intervention – Hong Kong is preparing to draw up a five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has asked all policy bureaus to help draft proposals by the end of the year. To lead the exercise, veteran civil servant Janice Tse Siu-wah has come out of retirement. The Legislative Council, not to be left out, has formed a committee supported by six coordinating groups spanning... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial In an ideal world, China and the United States, the two pre-eminent spacefaring nations, would cooperate to explore humanity’s final frontier. In the real world, though, the two countries have started a new space race just as they compete in everything else. That’s one reason why Nasa’s latest Artemis mission to the moon has gained worldwide attention, not least from China’s space science community. While both sides are trying to beat the other to return humans to the moon, the stakes are even... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349475/new-space-race-should-be-recognised-marathon-not-sprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349475/new-space-race-should-be-recognised-marathon-not-sprint?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Beijing aims to accelerate the rise of China’s home-grown airliner fleet, including the C909 regional plane, C919 narrowbody and C929 widebody, through 2030. This push to challenge the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus comes as a national five-year plan calls for aircraft production, development and the roll-out of a domestically developed engine. The next five years will prove vital to the success of the three aircraft models and the continued localisation of critical parts such as engines,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346236/chinas-five-year-jet-goals-target-c919-output-new-engine-and-reduced-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346236/chinas-five-year-jet-goals-target-c919-output-new-engine-and-reduced-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip At this time of year, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s top priority is finalising the Hong Kong government’s budget for 2026-27, balancing requests for incentives and welfare against calls for a return to fiscal prudence. For decades, budget speeches have followed a familiar structure: a review of past performance, near- and medium-term forecasts, support measures for industries and social services, a report on the government’s fiscal position and financial estimates for the coming year.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342610/hong-kongs-budget-should-move-city-towards-inspirational-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342610/hong-kongs-budget-should-move-city-towards-inspirational-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The global space industry has rapidly evolved from the days when nations raced to the heavens in a quest for glory. Now space is a venue for competition to forge the world’s technological future. Hong Kong must follow these developments with solid planning if it hopes to tap into the opportunities of China’s “NewSpace” ambitions. NewSpace is an emerging industry where private firms are involved with satellite manufacturing, launch services, space law, tourism and other ventures concentrated in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:15:15 +0000 Quentin Parker Quentin Parker Hong Kong has a real opportunity to be a global player in the protection of our space ecosystem to ensure its sustainability. This is due to a confluence of positive circumstances, together with extensive global attention on the issue. The Chief Executive’s Policy Unit round table last month, which I attended, has spurred efforts to promote aerospace technology development in Hong Kong and support the burgeoning space economy and its connectivity to the low-altitude economy (drones navigate... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342234/world-must-act-space-debris-hong-kong-can-play-leading-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342234/world-must-act-space-debris-hong-kong-can-play-leading-role?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 21:30:37 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Frank Chen Ralph Jennings,Frank Chen The maker of China’s expanding family of civilian aircraft has announced new orders for a regional jet and secured a crucial “brain” for its ambitious C929 widebody jet, coinciding with the Singapore Airshow. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) said on Tuesday that it signed a letter of intent for cooperation with Aviage Systems for the C929’s core avionics processing system, according to a Yicai news report. Avionics refer to an aircraft’s electronic systems, including... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342392/new-brainer-chinas-c929-widebody-lands-partner-power-next-gen-flight-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342392/new-brainer-chinas-c929-widebody-lands-partner-power-next-gen-flight-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:16:39 +0000 Ken Chu Ken Chu China’s commercial space sector has entered a new frontier. In January, a private Chinese aerospace company unveiled the test capsule of what is set to become the country’s first commercially developed crewed spacecraft, with plans for crewed flights by 2028 and bookings already taken from private space tourists. The project reflects a decisive shift in national policy, where commercial players are no longer peripheral participants but integral contributors to major space missions. This... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341977/china-opens-its-space-sector-hong-kong-should-reach-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341977/china-opens-its-space-sector-hong-kong-should-reach-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen European aviation evaluators have begun test flights of China’s home-grown C919 airliner in Shanghai, the Post has learned, as the manufacturer of the narrowbody jet presses ahead with its bid to secure Western safety certification – a crucial step in the journey to global adoption and being able to compete with industry leaders Boeing and Airbus. Two test pilots from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have conducted verification flights, according to a source with knowledge of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339945/chinas-c919-airliner-put-through-paces-test-pilots-european-aviation-regulator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339945/chinas-c919-airliner-put-through-paces-test-pilots-european-aviation-regulator?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s ultra-wealthy are quietly parking their private jets offshore to sidestep tougher compliance rules at home, while corporate executives are downgrading to commercial flights, analysts say, as economic headwinds hit the country’s business aircraft fleet. Aircraft owned by affluent Chinese nationals are said to be increasingly resurfacing in hubs such as Singapore and Japan, while more billionaires and corporate executives are turning to first-class commercial cabins or timeshare jet... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337814/why-are-rich-chinese-quietly-moving-private-jets-offshore-slumming-it-budget-seats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337814/why-are-rich-chinese-quietly-moving-private-jets-offshore-slumming-it-budget-seats?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 07:00:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China has appointed its first female pilot to exclusively captain flights on its home-grown C919 jet, with more aspiring women waiting in the wings as the nation expands its talent pool and systemically transitions elite pilots who used to fly Boeing and Airbus jets to operate the narrowbody airliner. Yu Yue, who made a high-stakes switch from her decade-long career flying the US-made Boeing 737 to be a C919 captain this year, has become a source of inspiration for many in the country. According... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337431/soaring-top-china-appoints-first-female-captain-flights-home-grown-c919?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337431/soaring-top-china-appoints-first-female-captain-flights-home-grown-c919?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s state-owned planemaker intends to supersize its flagship jet through a partnership with a major domestic carrier to meet rising market demand for bigger narrowbody types, according to sources. The Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (Comac) signed an agreement with China Eastern Airlines last week to deepen cooperation, including on a stretched variant of the single-aisle C919 that would be able to seat at least 200 passengers, the Post has learned. The deal positions China Eastern, the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337728/chinas-c919-maker-teams-china-eastern-bigger-variant-cards-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337728/chinas-c919-maker-teams-china-eastern-bigger-variant-cards-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:00:08 +0000 Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong Though it did not come as a surprise, the US’ formal ban on the sale of new drones produced by China marks a “milestone” in the two countries’ strategic competition and technological decoupling, analysts said, with their rivalry continuing across numerous fields despite the temporary trade truce agreed between their leaders in October. Washington’s telecommunications regulator said on Monday that it is adding all foreign producers of drones and critical components – including those made by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337500/bad-policy-chinas-drone-makers-shrug-us-ban-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337500/bad-policy-chinas-drone-makers-shrug-us-ban-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China is about to switch on a satellite “super factory” able to produce 1,000 units annually – a major step in Beijing’s race to build low Earth orbit constellations as part of its ambition to one day rival Elon Musk’s Starlink. The facility, located inside the Wenchang spaceport in China’s southernmost Hainan province, integrates a “factory-to-launch” pipeline that assembles, tests and pairs satellites with rockets. This makes it the only base of its kind in the country and Asia’s largest... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335926/china-launches-satellite-super-factory-bid-rival-elon-musks-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335926/china-launches-satellite-super-factory-bid-rival-elon-musks-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:00:13 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As China’s regions roll out proposals for their next five-year plans, two trends are emerging: localities are preparing to nurture new, highly technological industries while focusing on those sectors best suited to their strengths. Additionally, some areas pledged to bolster their supply of rare earth elements and soybeans, items which gained greater prominence amid this year’s escalatory trade war with the United States. According to data compiled by the Post, at least 22 provincial-level... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3335363/chinas-regions-roll-out-5-year-plan-priorities-tech-topping-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3335363/chinas-regions-roll-out-5-year-plan-priorities-tech-topping-list?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Jigang Group spent decades forging the metal for China’s infrastructure boom. Now, the former industrial titan is building hardware for the final frontier. The state-owned company, once one of the nation’s top steel producers, has secured orders for its first two satellites – an all-important step in its years-long transformation to capture demand in the country’s burgeoning commercial space industry. Reporting this week on the purchase, the Economic Observer said production was expected to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335364/steel-space-china-giant-sells-first-2-satellites-bold-pivot-bears-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335364/steel-space-china-giant-sells-first-2-satellites-bold-pivot-bears-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:45:36 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma On Saturday, the Beijing-based start-up LandSpace reportedly plans to conduct the maiden launch of its Zhuque-3 rocket – a reusable launch vehicle that could significantly boost China’s space industry by lowering the cost of lifting equipment such as satellites into orbit. The prospect of China mastering reusable rockets – a technology pioneered by US-based SpaceX – has attracted significant attention from aerospace experts, and even drew comment from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk last month. Beyond the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334125/why-chinas-commercial-space-sector-grabbing-attention-including-elon-musk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334125/why-chinas-commercial-space-sector-grabbing-attention-including-elon-musk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Beijing has not achieved all of its “Made in China 2025” (MIC2025) goals – particularly in aviation and integrated circuits – but has still made “significant gains” and cemented its status as a global manufacturing powerhouse, according to a new US government report. The assessment, released by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, evaluated China's progress on the 10-year strategy, which was launched in 2015 to achieve self-reliance, innovation and technological prowess across... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333119/made-china-2025-cements-manufacturing-dominance-despite-missed-goals-us-review-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333119/made-china-2025-cements-manufacturing-dominance-despite-missed-goals-us-review-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 02:00:31 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat In 2003, a decade after the humiliation of the Yinhe incident – when a Chinese container ship was left stranded for weeks after the United States jammed its Global Positioning System (GPS) – Beijing set its sights on bypassing the American satellite network. At first, it turned to the European Union, pledging €230 million (then US$260 million) to join the Galileo project, an independent satellite navigation system designed to reduce Europe’s reliance on GPS. But the partnership did not last.... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332333/china-has-big-ambitions-space-and-arctic-should-west-be-worried?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332333/china-has-big-ambitions-space-and-arctic-should-west-be-worried?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 22:00:14 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The manufacturer of China’s home-grown passenger jets is ramping up efforts to secure Western-made engines as its aircraft production slumps and rivals race for scarce components amid a supply crunch afflicting the global aviation industry. By dispatching teams to key overseas suppliers, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is seeking to smooth out communication and secure delivery of more Leap-1C engines, according to two people with knowledge of the trips. And as the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332368/c919-output-falters-chinas-comac-scrambles-western-engines-amid-global-bottleneck?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332368/c919-output-falters-chinas-comac-scrambles-western-engines-amid-global-bottleneck?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:00:14 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has unveiled new measures designed to channel private capital into traditionally state-funded infrastructure projects, as Beijing steps up efforts to reduce investment restrictions and bolster the private economy. The 13-point document released on Monday by China’s cabinet, the State Council, includes measures to encourage private investment in major projects in a range of sectors – from power generation to transport. “Private investment serves as a key barometer reflecting economic... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332323/rail-nuclear-power-china-taps-private-capital-fund-major-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332323/rail-nuclear-power-china-taps-private-capital-fund-major-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:00:04 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong will roll out an action plan next year to develop its low-altitude economy, and passenger drone trials could begin once approved by the civil aviation chief, the deputy financial secretary has said. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun announced the plan at the International Low-Altitude Economy Summit on Thursday, while lawmaker Elizabeth Quat Pei-fan said after the event that a key challenge for the sector was turning projects from the government’s regulatory sandbox into... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3328428/action-plan-develop-hong-kongs-low-altitude-economy-lift-next-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3328428/action-plan-develop-hong-kongs-low-altitude-economy-lift-next-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 15:19:09 +0000 Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings The delivery delays appearing to hit China’s C919 – the home-grown narrowbody jet intended to compete with leading Western models – may lead some domestic carriers to consider more orders with US aerospace giant Boeing, industry insiders said. With financial reports from major airlines suggesting C919 units have not been arriving as scheduled, manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) may lose a share of its home market to its American rival, they said, despite the safety... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327787/chinas-c919-jet-facing-order-delays-boeing-waiting-wings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327787/chinas-c919-jet-facing-order-delays-boeing-waiting-wings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Kandy Wong,Ralph Jennings Kandy Wong,Ralph Jennings Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia has shown strong interest in acquiring the Chinese C919 passenger jet, its executive said, as part of its strategy to tap into Southeast Asia’s 700 million-strong population and capitalise on growing China-Asean business ties. “We’re in active discussions to buy the C919,” Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A – an investment holding company of AirAsia – told the Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong on Wednesday. “We’re the first foreign airline to be working with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325061/china-eyes-c919-jet-breakthrough-malaysian-airline-confirms-talks-buy-aircraft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325061/china-eyes-c919-jet-breakthrough-malaysian-airline-confirms-talks-buy-aircraft?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China has issued a satellite mobile communication business licence to a telecoms giant, in a concrete move that accelerates preparations for the large-scale commercial roll-out of its home-grown satellite services. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced on Monday that it had issued the licence to China Unicom, permitting the state-owned company to conduct services such as direct-to-phone satellite connectivity and expand its applications in emergency and maritime... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324843/chasing-starlink-china-unicom-one-step-closer-satellite-communication-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324843/chasing-starlink-china-unicom-one-step-closer-satellite-communication-services?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:17:20 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China is training representatives from Southeast Asia this month in an effort to promote its home-grown civilian aircraft, as the region leads the world in accepting Chinese deliveries despite Airbus and Boeing’s dominance. Twenty participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are taking part in the 2025 China-Asean Civil Aviation Management Capacity Enhancement Workshop in Beijing, which started Monday. Organised by the Civil Aviation... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324260/china-starts-aviation-training-southeast-asia-it-pushes-c919-home-grown-jets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324260/china-starts-aviation-training-southeast-asia-it-pushes-c919-home-grown-jets?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 02:15:07 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China is pushing to accelerate the rollout of commercial low-orbit satellite internet services as it strives to develop home-grown rivals to SpaceX’s Starlink network. In a guideline released on Wednesday, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said it would encourage operators of low-orbit satellite constellations to launch trials of commercial services “at an appropriate time”. The document also encourages telecom operators to leverage low-orbit satellite internet to expand... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323502/china-races-roll-out-low-orbit-satellite-internet-rival-musks-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323502/china-races-roll-out-low-orbit-satellite-internet-rival-musks-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:43:55 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu South China’s Guangdong province has announced its ambition to join the country’s race to expand its commercial space sector, promising financial and policy support for companies wanting to build low-orbit satellite constellation systems and promote their application in futuristic industries including space mining and space tourism. Guangdong plans to use government procurement to support key innovative products and application scenarios for satellite constellation systems, which also include... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322444/mining-tourism-space-ambitions-chinas-guangdong-rival-those-elon-musk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322444/mining-tourism-space-ambitions-chinas-guangdong-rival-those-elon-musk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 02:52:04 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A recent surge of Chinese commercial aviation companies, either formulating or reviving listing plans, highlights the sector’s strong appetite for funding, according to analysts, as Beijing steps up support for innovation-driven businesses seeking to raise capital. LandSpace Technology – which launched in 2023 the world’s first methane-fuelled rocket into orbit, ahead of US competitors SpaceX and Blue Origin – entered a coaching agreement with China International Capital Corporation on July 25,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3321298/rocketing-riches-chinas-cash-hungry-aerospace-firms-aim-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3321298/rocketing-riches-chinas-cash-hungry-aerospace-firms-aim-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Aug 2025 06:00:11 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip The idea that Hong Kong could play a leading role in the global space economy was greeted with scepticism when I raised the possibility with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu earlier this month. However, critics fail to realise that space technologies have permeated many aspects of our lives – from checking the weather and ordering our meals on our mobile phones to navigating our daily commutes and settling stock transactions in real time. A report published by the American consultancy firm... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3317831/few-small-steps-hong-kong-giant-leap-chinas-space-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3317831/few-small-steps-hong-kong-giant-leap-chinas-space-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jul 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Leopold Chen,Xiaofei Xu,Ralph Jennings Leopold Chen,Xiaofei Xu,Ralph Jennings US President Donald Trump issues quite a few executive orders. So many, in fact, that one could be forgiven for not keeping up with them all. But amid the rapid-fire policy changes that have come to characterise his administration, one arrived last month that could have drastic implications for the world’s drone market – and China’s role in it. The order, signed June 6, requires government agencies to prioritise using home-grown unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) “to the maximum extent permitted by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317044/trump-wants-ground-chinas-drones-have-they-flown-too-high-reach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317044/trump-wants-ground-chinas-drones-have-they-flown-too-high-reach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong China has completed the inaugural test flight of its next-generation Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, executing a critical zero-altitude escape trial at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert. The successful test hints at differences in the plans of China and the United States to “return to the moon”. Developed for China’s 2030 lunar ambitions, the modular Mengzhou spacecraft features two variants: a near-Earth version supporting space station operations with a seven-astronaut... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3314870/mengzhou-spacecraft-chinas-moon-landing-mission-passes-landmark-test-flight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3314870/mengzhou-spacecraft-chinas-moon-landing-mission-passes-landmark-test-flight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jun 2025 06:00:12 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China will push for civil aviation to be a topic of discussion at a summit with European Union leaders in July, with particular focus on the certification of the domestically produced C919 aircraft, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. High-level negotiations on the safety evaluation process would be likely to fast-track ratification of the airliner, the source said, and a rumoured order of hundreds of Airbus aircraft from Beijing would only help speed things along. Next month’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313955/china-working-add-c919-certification-agenda-july-eu-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313955/china-working-add-c919-certification-agenda-july-eu-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 08:00:08 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China has granted approval for the country’s first home-grown 1,000-kilowatt helicopter engine to begin mass production, as Beijing doubles down on its aviation ambitions in defiance of US efforts to restrict its access to key technologies. The engine, named the AES100, was granted a production licence by Chinese authorities on Thursday, “laying a solid foundation for its market launch”, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. The move comes just days after Washington announced a new round of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313180/china-hails-new-helicopter-engine-milestone-its-aviation-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313180/china-hails-new-helicopter-engine-milestone-its-aviation-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 09:30:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Frank Chen Ralph Jennings,Frank Chen Washington’s technology-export restrictions targeting Chinese plane makers this week will delay China’s jet engine indigenisation process in the near term, but any setback will only harden resolve in Beijing for tech self-reliance to test and launch a home-grown engine, analysts said on Friday. United States officials have reportedly suspended some sales of technologies linked to jet engines that could be built for Chinese state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (Comac) civilian... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3312505/us-export-controls-delay-not-grounding-chinas-aircraft-engines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3312505/us-export-controls-delay-not-grounding-chinas-aircraft-engines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 14:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Renowned Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) scholar Wang Jian has called for greater integration of the technology in space exploration, as he shared his vision on the state-backed Zhejiang Lab’s plan to build a computing constellation consisting of 1,000 satellites, designed to process data in orbit rather than through land infrastructure. “It’s a good time to think about how we can put AI into space, not just in your laptop or cellphone,” said Wang, director of Zhejiang Lab and founder of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3311383/chinese-scientist-behind-supercomputer-orbit-urges-collaborative-use-ai-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3311383/chinese-scientist-behind-supercomputer-orbit-urges-collaborative-use-ai-space?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 09:40:58 +0000 China is planning a traffic management system for satellites amid its push to develop the commercial space sector. “Our calculations show that low Earth orbit could get overcrowded with about 100,000 satellites,” Meng Lingjie, director of the China National Space Administration’s (CNSA) Earth observation and data centre, told the news portal Jiemian.com last week. “To keep space sustainable, the CNSA is working on a traffic management system to better organise satellite placement and operations.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3308090/china-plans-space-traffic-management-system-amid-commercial-satellite-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3308090/china-plans-space-traffic-management-system-amid-commercial-satellite-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Apr 2025 12:00:23 +0000 China has taken a major step towards creating a commercial flying taxi industry, after regulators granted the country’s first-ever approvals for two companies to operate autonomous passenger drones. The two companies – Nasdaq-listed EHang Holdings and Hefei Hey Airlines – obtained air operator certificates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Saturday, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. The move means that both companies are cleared to use unmanned aerial vehicles to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3304580/flying-taxis-prepare-lift-china-first-companies-gain-key-licence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3304580/flying-taxis-prepare-lift-china-first-companies-gain-key-licence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:30:20 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China has made significant progress in multiple industries under its “Made in China 2025” plan that Beijing initiated a decade ago, but the state-led initiative remains controversial on the global stage amid an escalating trade war with the US. In the latest China Future Tech webinar, South China Morning Post technology editor Zhou Xin, Political Economy Editor Jasmine Wang, Science News Editor Stephen Chen and Political Economy Correspondent Ralph Jennings discussed major questions surrounding... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300047/made-china-2025-4-questions-countrys-manufacturing-upgrade-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300047/made-china-2025-4-questions-countrys-manufacturing-upgrade-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:00:18 +0000 A dedicated fund for state capital grants to supercharge breakthroughs in China’s aircraft-technology research will soon accept applications and identify recipients, as Beijing builds on the momentum of home-grown jets such as the C919 to develop domestic aviation solutions and components. The fund, established by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and National Natural Science Foundation in June, will bankroll “large aircraft” research programmes focusing on basic,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3294861/applicants-wanted-chinas-c919-benefit-beijing-bankrolls-large-aircraft-research?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3294861/applicants-wanted-chinas-c919-benefit-beijing-bankrolls-large-aircraft-research?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2025 11:00:20 +0000 As China’s state-owned aircraft maker looks to turbocharge production of its C919 passenger jet, local governments are locked in a fierce competition to secure a slice of the lucrative new industry. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has long had its main base in Shanghai, but it is also in discussions with several other regions as it races to put the C919 into mass production. The company has signed contracts with Chinese airlines to build more than 360 of its narrowbody... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3290022/chinas-c919-gains-momentum-local-governments-scramble-cash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3290022/chinas-c919-gains-momentum-local-governments-scramble-cash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2024 04:00:13 +0000 China has fostered 14,600 small, privately owned companies as drivers for top strategic industries, exceeding a 2025 goal and levelling up tech competition with the United States. The tally of enterprises the government calls “little giants” includes 5,000 enterprises working in new technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and the low-altitude economy characterised by commercial drones, state broadcaster CCTV said on Sunday. China is supporting little giants as part of its wider effort... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3288996/chinas-strategic-little-giant-firms-quickly-rise-14600-surpass-2025-goal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3288996/chinas-strategic-little-giant-firms-quickly-rise-14600-surpass-2025-goal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Dec 2024 01:00:16 +0000 A Chinese drone maker is preparing to mass produce a small, speedy six-tonne aircraft ideal for the “low-altitude economy”, whose value is expected to soar by 2030 with increases in aerial taxi trips and merchandise deliveries. Shenzhen-based United Aircraft said on November 13 it had signed 1 billion yuan (US$138 million) in orders for its Lanying R6000 aircraft. The aircraft’s tilt-rotors are designed for vertical, helicopter-style take-offs and landings in spaces as small as a rooftop, the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3288773/chinese-drone-prepped-mass-production-demand-aerial-deliveries-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3288773/chinese-drone-prepped-mass-production-demand-aerial-deliveries-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Nov 2024 09:00:12 +0000 China expects to launch the next generation of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System by 2035, following a series of upgrades – a development that would help it vie with the US-backed Global Positioning System (GPS) for international clients. BeiDou’s developers anticipate “breakthroughs” in key technology next year, state media reported, citing a government-organised seminar on Thursday to mark the 30th anniversary of the home-grown navigation system’s conception. Three pilot satellites could... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3288672/chinas-next-gen-beidou-satellite-system-ramp-rivalry-us-based-gps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3288672/chinas-next-gen-beidou-satellite-system-ramp-rivalry-us-based-gps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 12:00:09 +0000 The Communist Party chief of Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, Zhu Zhisong, is under investigation on suspicion of corruption. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said on Wednesday that Zhu, 55, an aerospace veteran, was suspected of committing “serious violations of discipline and law” – a euphemism for corruption. Zhu is the first party chief of Shanghai’s Pudong New Area to come under investigation since the district, a major testing ground for China’s economic reforms, was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3288357/china-investigates-shanghai-free-trade-zone-party-chief-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3288357/china-investigates-shanghai-free-trade-zone-party-chief-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 09:02:29 +0000 China’s chief civilian aircraft maker may need to find more foreign suppliers to accelerate production of its C919 narrowbody passenger planes as it aims to fill hundreds of orders amid upheavals in the global supply chain, as to satisfy the different configuration needs among buyers, according to analysts and a company source. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), which has delivered a total of 12 C919 aircraft since late 2022, is working against the clock to elevate the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3286779/chinas-c919-order-backlog-raises-urgency-foreign-part-acquisitions-new-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3286779/chinas-c919-order-backlog-raises-urgency-foreign-part-acquisitions-new-suppliers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Nov 2024 03:00:15 +0000 China’s flagship civilian aircraft maker, which is now competing with Airbus and Boeing in the home market, is weighing plans to turn its C919 factory compound into an industrial tourism hotspot and base of patriotism education, according to a company source. The state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) will let tourists visit portions of its 2.67 million-square-metre (28.74 million-square-foot) factory site near Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the source told the Post... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3286589/chinas-c919-flying-high-factory-visits-aim-replicate-boeings-branding-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3286589/chinas-c919-flying-high-factory-visits-aim-replicate-boeings-branding-success?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Nov 2024 22:00:13 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China’s southern tech hub Shenzhen spent a record amount on research and development (R&D) last year, rivalling Beijing’s level and vastly exceeding that of neighbouring Hong Kong to cement its position as a national research mecca. Shenzhen’s R&D expenditure jumped to 223.66 billion yuan (US$30.93 billion) in 2023, surpassing the 200-billion-yuan mark for the first time and up by nearly 19 per cent from the previous year, according to government data released last week. R&D made up just under... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3286417/shenzhens-soaring-rd-spending-rivals-beijing-dwarfs-hong-kong-amid-chinas-tech-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3286417/shenzhens-soaring-rd-spending-rivals-beijing-dwarfs-hong-kong-amid-chinas-tech-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:00:12 +0000