The First Made-in-China Jetliner Arrives in Vietnam

China’s homegrown C919 jet is accelerating production in a bold challenge to the Boeing-Airbus duopoly, ramping up capacity amid Beijing’s broader push for aviation self-sufficiency.
The C919 jet of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) landed in Vietnam on February 27, 2024, its second foreign destination after Singapore. Image via VNExpress.

China’s first domestically-made commercial airliner arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday, its second overseas stop after it made its public debut at the Singapore Air Show last weekend.

The plane’s manufacturer, COMAC, is eying Southeast Asia as a primary market for the narrow-body jet that will compete directly with the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.