Khaberni - In a striking air show, the "C919" aircraft from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China "COMAC" appeared in the Dubai Air Show, a step aimed at enhancing China's presence in the global aviation market which suffers from delays in deliveries from Western companies.
The display, as reported by "Reuters," was symbolic yet loaded with strategic significance, as Beijing sought through it to showcase its first fully developed domestic jet aircraft after 17 years since the project was announced, at a time when "COMAC" is competing with giants like "Airbus" and "Boeing".
Air Show and Direct Promotional Messages
The aircraft arrived with white paint adorned with blue and green stripes, and the phrase "When wonder meets wonder" appeared on accompanying promotional boards.
The Chinese delegations refrained from answering questions about finding the first buyer for the aircraft outside of East Asia, but the public interest was evident, as dozens of visitors lined up to see the aircraft and listen to the pilot discuss his experience flying it.
Just last month, Brunei became the latest country to allow its airlines to operate Chinese-made aircraft.
Emerging Brunei company "Gallup Air" ordered 15 units of C909 and 15 of C919 in 2023. Yet, neither model has won a major global customer so far.
New Chinese Models
"COMAC" highlighted in Dubai a new manufacturing line which includes an extended version of "C919", planned to accommodate about 210 passengers.
According to the Reuters report, this version targets directly the Airbus (A321 Neo) and Boeing (737 Max 10) models, which are the most competitive in the single-aisle aircraft market.
The company also presented the "C909" model, which is the first Chinese aircraft with jet engines to reach commercial production since 2016, and is already operated by a number of regional airlines.
Cautious Western Welcome
Reuters reported statements from officials of the two Western companies, where the Chief Executive of Boeing said, "Competition is good for the industry... it makes us all better."
Meanwhile, the commerce official at Airbus said, "It’s not a threat, it’s a competitor, it’s reality." However, analysts believe, according to Reuters, that China will not soon capture a significant share of the global market except for supporting countries, but its presence in major expositions like Dubai reflects its desire to penetrate the last bastions of Western industry.
Trade Tensions
Despite COMAC’s assurance that intellectual property for technologies is preserved within China, the aircraft manuals - as reported by Reuters - revealed its reliance on 18 Western suppliers providing engines, landing systems, and more.
The impact of trade tensions between Beijing and Washington became evident when America suspended engine export licenses this year.
In a statement relayed by the agency, the company stated, "It remains committed to open cooperation and looks forward to stronger and deeper relationships with customers and partners around the world."
Gulf Interest
Reuters pointed out that China enjoys strong economic relations with the Gulf countries, opening real opportunities for the aircraft in the region, although COMAC has not met the announced delivery targets for the "C919" model this year.
The company also presented in Dubai promotional materials about the wide-body aircraft "C929", which was originally a joint project with Russia before becoming fully led by China, but without providing sufficient technical details about it.
