Xi hails newly approved Chinese C919 jet as historic landmark

President Xi Jinping hailed the development of China's first medium-haul passenger jet as the embodiment of the country's drive towards self-sufficiency, with safety approval awarded to a plane that aims to challenge Western plane giants for high-tech jetliner sales. The first C919 aircraft, designed to compete with popular single-aisle models made by Airbus and Boeing, will be delivered by the end of the year, state Xinhua News Agency said. The news came a day after photos of a safety certification ceremony for the plane were posted on social media. Xi said the flagship development would "accelerate the construction of a manufacturing powerhouse," while stressing that China would put safety first, Xinhua reported. Xi met a delegation of the plane's developers in the Great Hall of the People and Xinhua quoted him as telling them were they pillars and heroes of the people. It remains unclear when the plane might be certified by the United States or Europe, opening the way to sales in most foreign markets, but industry analysts say it will be up to a decade before China can seriously tackle the existing Boeing-Airbus duopoly. Still, the first certification of a non-Western jet in the mainline category in the modern era firmly establishes China as the main future competitor to those two, they say. Analysts have watched China's efforts to develop its own commercial aircraft industry as a reflection of longer-term goals in developing self-sufficiency in technology and as an effort to stir patriotism in line with Xi's "China Dream". Airbus and Boeing both sent congratulations by social media.<br/>