https://www.scmp.com/rss/522270/feed The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is the national aviation authority of the People’s Republic of China, headquartered in Dongcheng, Beijing. As a governmental body under the Ministry of Transport, its primary mission is to regulate and ensure the safe, orderly, and efficient development of civil aviation across the country. Its key activities include developing industry strategies, overseeing flight and ground safety, managing air traffic, regulating the aviation market, and... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Frank Chen Frank Chen From controlling the weight of aircraft to sending more flights to Europe via Russian airspace, Chinese airlines have adopted a range of measures in response to the surge in oil prices resulting from the Middle East conflict that threatens to crimp their razor-thin margins. A number of carriers, including China Eastern Airlines, have been enforcing more precise and complex cost management measures in recent weeks to save fuel, according to industry insiders. They include stricter load and weight... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348919/chinese-airlines-shed-weight-add-flights-over-russia-trim-fuel-costs-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348919/chinese-airlines-shed-weight-add-flights-over-russia-trim-fuel-costs-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:02:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Chinese airlines are mulling the introduction of higher fuel surcharges, as authorities strive to balance the impact of surging oil prices with the need to preserve airline margins and at the same time avoid dampening consumer demand. Although a formal announcement from the national regulator is pending, at least two domestic airlines released notices on Wednesday about plans for sixfold surcharge increases, after another airline rescinded a similar notice on Tuesday. According to notices put... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348653/eyes-chinese-airline-regulator-it-seeks-difficult-balance-fuel-surcharge-rises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348653/eyes-chinese-airline-regulator-it-seeks-difficult-balance-fuel-surcharge-rises?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:00:19 +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 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 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s civil aviation authority has floated a regulatory change that would allow its home-grown passenger jet, the C919, to use narrow runways typically found in smaller airports, a move that could help the plane expand its presence at home and break into the Southeast Asian market. The Civil Aviation Administration of China announced on Friday that it had set “special conditions” for the C919 to use narrow runways based on the jet’s design features, releasing a draft proposal for a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342252/china-plans-regulatory-change-help-c919-jet-compete-airbus-and-boeing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342252/china-plans-regulatory-change-help-c919-jet-compete-airbus-and-boeing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:01:30 +0000 Frank Chen,Yeon Woo Lee Frank Chen,Yeon Woo Lee When the first cohort of elite foreign captains parachuted into Chinese airlines in the 2000s, their sky-high pay – sometimes reaching 1 million yuan a year – raised eyebrows among their Chinese counterparts. These hotshot aviators, with their international exposure and qualifications, enjoyed a stratospheric level of success in the burgeoning Chinese market. Facing a shortage of experienced pilots, Chinese carriers embraced them with open arms, granting generous benefits and speedy paths to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342101/chinas-expat-pilots-arrived-red-carpet-now-theyre-taking-red-eye-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342101/chinas-expat-pilots-arrived-red-carpet-now-theyre-taking-red-eye-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is revving up the design and testing phase of its widebody C929 airliner, marshalling its resources and mobilising its stakeholders to roll out the indigenous jet on schedule – or, potentially, ahead of earlier estimates. Specialists from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) have proactively involved themselves in the C929’s development, the South China Morning Post has learned, with personnel from the national regulator assessing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342069/chinas-widebody-c929-could-arrive-early-revved-development-plan-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342069/chinas-widebody-c929-could-arrive-early-revved-development-plan-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing On a sunny afternoon in late November, hundreds of onlookers gathered beside a picturesque lake near Shanghai as a massive silver drone lifted off silently from the deck of a cutting-edge vessel, marking the dawn of a new chapter for the low-altitude economy in both mainland China and Hong Kong. The demonstration at Dianshan Lake, which straddles the border between Shanghai and Suzhou, felt like a scene from a science fiction film as the “Sunship”, a mobile water-based vertiport, made its global... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339236/drone-age-hi-tech-wizardry-propels-hong-kong-towards-lift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339236/drone-age-hi-tech-wizardry-propels-hong-kong-towards-lift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:30:14 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A seamless airspace is essential for developing Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy and will depend on a collaborative ecosystem, the transport chief has said, citing the city’s strengths in high-value-added services and regulatory expertise, alongside the Greater Bay Area’s industrial and research capabilities. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Tuesday that a comprehensive action plan for developing the new industry was under way to integrate manned and unmanned aviation.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3335732/hong-kong-leverages-greater-bay-area-ties-help-low-altitude-economy-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3335732/hong-kong-leverages-greater-bay-area-ties-help-low-altitude-economy-take?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:33:47 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s top aircraft maker is stepping up efforts to promote its first business jet as it looks to break into a market dominated by Western aviation firms like Gulfstream Aerospace. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) took the rare step of showcasing a completed version of the model – called the Comac Business Jet, or CBJ – at an exhibition in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in October. The move signalled the state-owned company was “seeking to break into the large-cabin... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335352/chinese-home-grown-business-jet-way-will-it-rival-gulfstream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335352/chinese-home-grown-business-jet-way-will-it-rival-gulfstream?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 03:00:19 +0000 Yujie Xue,Coco Feng,Mandy Zuo Yujie Xue,Coco Feng,Mandy Zuo Drones, unmanned aircraft and flying cars are taking to the sky in China, as the country taps new technology to pare congestion, speed deliveries and create new opportunities for economic growth. Pilotless drones carry food to tourists on the Great Wall of China and help farmers improve yields among other tasks, while unmanned aircraft fly sightseers around major cities and ferry construction materials to remote mountain sites. China’s first flying-car factory has also opened in recent months,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335152/flying-cars-take-china-extends-drone-market-domination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335152/flying-cars-take-china-extends-drone-market-domination?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 04:50:58 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on November 30, 2015. By Sijia Jiang After 13 years, China’s own passenger jet enters service China’s ambition of an indigenous plane took wings on Sunday (November 29, 2015) as its first home-grown passenger jet, the Comac ARJ21 (later rebranded as the C909), entered commercial service after 13 years in the making. Configured with 90 economy-class seats, the jet was delivered to its launch customer, Chengdu Airlines, from Comac’s Shanghai factory and flown to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3333513/chinas-first-home-grown-passenger-jet-comac-arj21-debuts-2015-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3333513/chinas-first-home-grown-passenger-jet-comac-arj21-debuts-2015-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:30:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Brunei has officially adopted China’s civil aviation certification standards, easing access for Chinese-built aircraft such as the narrowbody C919 jet into the wealthy Southeast Asian market while serving as a potential model for how the planes could expand their international reach. Brunei accepted the airworthiness code of the Civil Aviation Administration of China earlier this month, the Chinese embassy in Brunei said on Monday on its website, citing the equatorial country’s Department of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330920/international-win-chinas-c919-brunei-accepts-chinese-aviation-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330920/international-win-chinas-c919-brunei-accepts-chinese-aviation-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 01:00:14 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s first crewed airship – the Xiangyun AS700 – has completed its first low-altitude flight over the mountainous region of Guanling in southwestern Guizhou province, passing a critical airworthiness test, state media reported on Tuesday. Flight data collected during the test verified the airship’s suitability for low-altitude scenarios, state broadcaster CCTV reported, adding that the results would help drive improvements to adapt the airship to a wider range of uses. “The tests lay the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327543/chinas-new-crewed-airship-as700-soars-over-worlds-highest-bridge-key-flight-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327543/chinas-new-crewed-airship-as700-soars-over-worlds-highest-bridge-key-flight-test?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen A routine China Southern Airlines flight from Guangdong province on Monday evening turned into a “terrifying” ordeal for passengers as the plane encountered severe turbulence, forcing it to be diverted. The plane was flying from Zhuhai to the city of Taiyuan in Shanxi province when it was diverted to Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in Hebei province “due to thunderstorms” in Taiyuan, the airline said in a statement on Tuesday. “Many passengers were screaming,” a passenger surnamed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3325031/i-was-terrified-passengers-recount-turbulence-forced-china-flight-divert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3325031/i-was-terrified-passengers-recount-turbulence-forced-china-flight-divert?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:00:40 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China plans to help dozens of countries develop their civil aviation capabilities through the Air Silk Road – a campaign that could, in turn, promote its home-grown aircraft and boost trade with nations from Central Asia to Europe. In the next phase of the eight-year-old initiative, Beijing would step up cooperation on aircraft leasing and civil aviation equipment manufacturing with some of the 150 countries taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the government said in a report. At a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324900/chinas-air-silk-road-grows-can-comacs-c909-and-c919-jets-take-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324900/chinas-air-silk-road-grows-can-comacs-c909-and-c919-jets-take-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:00:09 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov The ramifications of China’s power bank scandal, which prompted an emergency ban of substandard models on domestic flights, have extended to a mainland court, where troubled manufacturer Romoss Technology was slapped with a lawsuit for unpaid funds. Shenzhen-based electronics contract manufacturer Zowee Technology filed the lawsuit at the People’s Court of Pengjiang district in Jiangmen, a city in southern Guangdong province, where it sought 136.26 million yuan (US$19 million) in damages against... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3324331/chinas-power-bank-scandal-leads-suppliers-lawsuit-against-romoss-unpaid-funds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3324331/chinas-power-bank-scandal-leads-suppliers-lawsuit-against-romoss-unpaid-funds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:00:09 +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 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov China has introduced new regulations requiring makers of lithium-ion battery packs to obtain a mandatory quality and security certificate, a move that comes after the demise of a major power bank brand amid a string of fire incidents caused by faulty products. Starting Friday, power banks must carry a China Compulsory Certification (CCC), or 3C certificate, before they can be sold, distributed or produced in China, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. While the regulation... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3322002/china-rolls-out-mandatory-safety-regulations-power-banks-after-fire-incidents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3322002/china-rolls-out-mandatory-safety-regulations-power-banks-after-fire-incidents?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:00:21 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun While its home-grown airliners bring China the most attention in the complex, lucrative field of aviation, the country is also making strides in an equally important realm: the many components necessary to ensure the safe, smooth operation of jets and other aircraft. Recent developments in a number of areas show Beijing is continuing to reduce its reliance on foreign parts, close long-standing technological gaps and assert itself as a major player in civil aviation at all levels of the supply... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320682/nose-tail-how-china-reshaping-aviation-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320682/nose-tail-how-china-reshaping-aviation-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 09:00:35 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu After record levels of expansion over the past few years, China’s high-speed rail network – already the world’s largest – is set for further upgrades, as Beijing pledges to improve services and lower logistics costs over the coming half a decade. China added 10,000km of operational high-speed rail tracks between 2021 and 2024, putting the nation on track to reach its goal of 50,000km by the end of the year, Minister of Transport Liu Wei said at a press conference in Beijing on Monday. “The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319006/china-vows-high-speed-rail-upgrade-after-years-record-breaking-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319006/china-vows-high-speed-rail-upgrade-after-years-record-breaking-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 10:30:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng A new airport project in Hegang, a rust-belt city near China’s northeastern border with Russia, marks a high-stakes effort at economic revival in a place better known for its cheap housing – where homes once sold for as little as 20,000 yuan (US$2,790), analysts said. The initiative is part of a broader effort to revive the city’s economy after years of stagnant growth, industrial decline and a shrinking population. Hegang’s local population has dropped from about 1.1 million in the 2010s to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318781/chinese-rust-belt-city-hegang-gambles-new-airport-russian-trade-fuel-revival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318781/chinese-rust-belt-city-hegang-gambles-new-airport-russian-trade-fuel-revival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 04:00:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Safety is paramount in air travel, so it is not surprising that airline passengers have tended to back recent crackdowns on in-flight use of power banks after some were linked to fires. Traveller support was understandably in short supply, however, after a ban was suddenly imposed on flights in China, causing chaos and confusion. The incident should serve as a reminder to aviation officials in the country and around the world that safety measures must be balanced with passenger needs. Many... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3318105/aviation-officials-should-balance-safety-efforts-passenger-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3318105/aviation-officials-should-balance-safety-efforts-passenger-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Danielle Popov,Hannah Wang Danielle Popov,Hannah Wang Chinese manufacturers of power banks – the ubiquitous portable batteries used by travellers to charge smartphones, tablets and laptops – are under increased public scrutiny, following a spate of incidents in which defective units were found to have caught fire during commercial flights. That prompted the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to impose an emergency ban on air passengers carrying substandard power banks, a safety precaution that went into effect on June 28. Portable... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3317936/no-fly-zone-what-brought-about-chinas-largest-power-bank-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3317936/no-fly-zone-what-brought-about-chinas-largest-power-bank-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 02:30:07 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov One of China’s biggest portable power bank makers has suspended production for at least six months and closed its stores on major Chinese e-commerce platforms after a massive recall of its products and the decision by the country’s civil aviation authority to ban unlicensed power banks on flights. Shenzhen-based Romoss Technology, which sells its products in dozens of countries around the world, notified its employees that the company would suspend operations for six months starting on Monday,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3317264/chinese-power-bank-maker-suspends-production-after-defects-trigger-recall-aviation-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3317264/chinese-power-bank-maker-suspends-production-after-defects-trigger-recall-aviation-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:00:16 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang An emergency ban on some power banks imposed by China’s aviation regulator over the weekend caught travellers off guard, many of whom arrived at airports only to be told that such portable devices could not be taken onto their flights. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) began enforcing the strict ban on lithium-based power banks over safety risks on Saturday, two days after issuing the notice. The ban applies to devices without proper safety and quality certifications or those... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3316648/china-air-travellers-caught-guard-after-regulator-grounds-mobile-power-banks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3316648/china-air-travellers-caught-guard-after-regulator-grounds-mobile-power-banks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:08:19 +0000