China's domestic aviation manufacturers see expansion in post-pandemic boom

Commercial planemakers touted strong post-pandemic prospects for the Chinese aviation market as the country’s largest air show opened on Tuesday, with an increasing share of the spoils expected to go to domestic manufacturers. The normally biennial Airshow China in the southern city of Zhuhai, delayed by a year because of COVID-19, is being held from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3, allowing Beijing to parade its growing aviation prowess. China is a key hunting ground for deals for foreign aviation firms, thanks to the quick recovery in domestic travel since the depths of the pandemic, but the outlook is complicated by Beijing’s desire to grow its own champions. The country’s aviation regulator may be a stumbling block for foreign planemakers looking to boost sales in the world’s biggest market for new planes. As COMAC ramps up production of the 90-seat ARJ21 regional jet, the regulator has not certified slightly larger offerings from Airbus SE and Brazil’s Embraer SA that feature more advanced and fuel-efficient engines. Airbus China CEO George Xu said on the show’s sidelines that the manufacturer was still in talks with China about certification, which along with support services was the key to customer confidence in placing orders.<br/>