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China’s aviation ambitions are soaring to new heights, as evidenced by the latest attempt to do so convince Vietnam to authorize domestically produced jet aircraft for use. According to recent reports, China has been in talks with Vietnamese regulators and airlines for months, culminating in an apparent charm offensive led by the leadership of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and high-level diplomatic overtures. Although Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority has not yet given the green light to VietJet’s lease of two COMAC C909 jets, the ongoing talks mark a deliberate attempt by China to penetrate and compete with foreign aviation markets. Western giants Airbus and Boeing. The outcome of these negotiations could set a precedent for COMAC’s global ambitions and provide insight into how China plans to use its aviation industry as a tool for economic and geopolitical influence.
China’s domestic aviation market is a force to be reckoned with; in 2020, the Chinese market surpassed the United States to become the largest domestic market. seating capacity. The country now has an impressive fleet of 4,335 transport aircraft and operates 262 airports across the country, for a total transport capacity of 1.6 billion passengers annually. This growth is expected to continue as the government plans to expand the number of airports 400 by 2035. Beijing Daxing International Airport, dubbed the ‘starfish’ because of its design, has symbolized China’s aviation infrastructure ambitions since its opening in 2019. Meanwhile, state-owned airlines such as Air China, China Southern and China Eastern dominate the airspace and are among the the world’s largest airlines by fleet size and passenger volume. These airlines are expanding internationally, particularly targeting Africa and Southeast Asia, following China’s maritime strategy to connect emerging markets to its economic sphere.
At the heart of China’s aviation ambitions is COMAC, a state-backed entity tasked with breaking the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus. The C919 narrow-body jet, COMAC’s flagship project, entered service in 2023 after years of development. The aircraft is China’s answer to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, and while it represents a major technological milestone, it remains heavily dependent on foreign suppliers for crucial components such as engines and avionics. COMAC’s ultimate goal is to establish an indigenous supply chain, a task that will require time, investment and significant technological leaps.
Moreover, international certification remains a major obstacle. While the C919 has achieved success domestically, its appeal to foreign airlines has been tempered by concerns about maintenance, reliability and regulatory approval. The dominance of Boeing and Airbus brings additional challenges, with both companies benefiting from established customer relationships and global support networks.
China’s ambitions extend beyond passenger aviation air freightwhere its dominance in e-commerce provides a natural advantage. Companies such as SF Express and Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics arm, have built extensive networks to meet the demands of fast delivery. For example, Cainiao has set up air cargo hubs in Southeast Asia and Europe, integrating them into a broader supply chain that extends China’s economic reach. The Belt and Road Initiative further strengthens China’s influence investments in airports in Cambodia, Pakistan and the Maldives. These projects improve regional connectivity while integrating partner countries into China’s trade networks. In Africa, Chinese airlines have significantly expanded their routes, reflecting maritime efforts to connect emerging markets with Chinese economic centers. Airport modernization projects in Ethiopia And Kenyafunded and implemented by Chinese companies, underline the breadth of China’s aviation ambitions.
However, the path to global dominance is fraught with challenges. Despite the progress, China’s aviation sector persists dependent on foreign technologyespecially for jet engines and avionics. Export controls and geopolitical tensions, especially with the United States, further complicate China’s quest for technological self-sufficiency. The aviation industry’s global shift toward decarbonization adds another layer of complexity. To meet sustainability goals, China will need to innovate in green aviation technologies, a difficult task given the industry’s existing hurdles. Meanwhile, Boeing and Airbus continue to dominate, leveraging their decades of expertise and established networks to maintain market supremacy.
Chinas dominance in the maritime sector provides an interesting point of comparison. Control over shipbuilding, container production and port operations has allowed the country to dominate global shipping. In aviation, however, the landscape is more fragmented and competitive. Stringent safety and certification standards create high barriers to entry, and aviation’s reliance on advanced technology requires a level of expertise that China is still cultivating. While state subsidies and infrastructure investments have fueled China’s maritime success, the aviation industry needs not only scale, but also confidence in safety and reliability – an asset that is harder to secure on a global level.
The developments in Vietnam provide a snapshot of China’s broader aviation strategy. COMAC’s efforts to introduce its C909 jets to the US Vietnamese market underline its tactics to offer attractive financial conditions and operational support to gain a foothold in key regions. Vietnam’s cautious approach, which stems from the C909’s limited international certification, highlights the barriers COMAC faces in gaining global acceptance. Yet the negotiations also illustrate China’s perseverance and adaptability. High-level diplomatic engagements and training sessions for Vietnamese regulatory staff reveal a multi-pronged strategy that combines economic incentives with geopolitical overtures.
The commitment to China’s aviation ambitions extends beyond economics. Success in this sector would symbolize China’s rise as a comprehensive global power, challenging Western dominance not only on land and sea, but also in the air. For now, COMAC’s story in Vietnam reflects the duality of China’s position: a rising power with enormous potential, but also significant obstacles to overcome. Should COMAC succeed in gaining regulatory approval and expanding its international footprint, it could transform the aviation industry just as China has transformed maritime trade. Until then, China’s aviation sector is still in a critical phase of takeoff, aiming to reach cruising altitude in a sector where giants dominate the skies.