HONG KONG — China’s ambition to challenge Boeing and Airbus with its own homegrown passenger jet is running into turbulence, with deliveries of finished aircraft likely to fall far short of its target announced for this year.
The C919 jet — a single-aisle passenger plane aiming to rival Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320 – is made by state-owned aircraft manufacturer COMAC. Beijing is showcasing it as evidence of China’s technological advancement and progress in self-reliance, though it uses many Western sourced components.
Trade friction with Washington threatens to prevent COMAC from securing core parts for the program that has been supported by huge Chinese government subsidies.
“COMAC faces significant risk from the volatile policy environment, with its supply chains vulnerable to export restrictions and tit-for-tat measures between the U.S. and China,” said Max J. Zenglein, Asia-Pacific senior economist at The Conference Board think tank.
The C919 has 48 major suppliers from the U.S. — including GE, Honeywell and Collins — 26 from Europe and 14 from China, according to analysts at the Bank of America. Trump threatened to impose new export controls on “critical” software to China after Beijing imposed stricter export controls on rare earths.
“Existing choke points are being exploited in the deal making process between governments,” Zenglein said. “This is likely to continue as critical dependencies have become political bargaining chips.”
Beijing has high hopes for the C919, which made its maiden commercial flight in 2023. The mid-sized jet is meant to help fill vast domestic demand for new aircraft over the next few decades. China hopes to expand sales beyond its borders and fly globally, including in Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe.
COMAC delivered 13 C919s to Chinese carriers last year and only seven as of October this year, despite plans to ramp up production and deliver 30 jets in 2025, according to the aviation consultancy Cirium.
China’s biggest state-owned airlines — Air China, China Eastern and China Southern — are the only commercial airlines currently flying a total of around 20 C919s.
Trade tensions between the U.S. a