https://www.scmp.com/rss/521242/feed Tang Meng Kit is a Singaporean freelance analyst and commentator who works as an aerospace engineer. He graduated from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU, Singapore in 2025. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Tang Meng Kit Tang Meng Kit China’s development of its first widebody passenger jet represents its ambition to compete globally. But lifting the C929 off the ground will require more than just advanced engineering. Supply chain resilience, talent development and global trust will determine if the programme can truly fly. The home-grown C929, developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) and expected to carry up to 440 passengers with a range of 12,000km, is looking to rival the Airbus A350 and Boeing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3315986/rival-boeing-and-airbus-chinas-c929-needs-more-top-engineering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3315986/rival-boeing-and-airbus-chinas-c929-needs-more-top-engineering?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Tang Meng Kit Tang Meng Kit Not long ago, Chinese fighter jets were dismissed as reverse-engineered relics of Soviet design. They appeared modern but lacked combat pedigree. Analysts questioned whether the People’s Liberation Army Air Force could match Western air forces in capability, resilience or technological sophistication. That scepticism appears to be fading. Recent developments show Chinese air power is not only advancing but maturing. With its fifth-generation stealth fighters and sixth-generation designs, China... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3310295/j-10c-success-india-pakistan-clash-testifies-chinas-air-superiority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3310295/j-10c-success-india-pakistan-clash-testifies-chinas-air-superiority?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 21:30:09 +0000