Advertisement

China’s Comac moves ahead with C929 widebody jet amid reports Russia joint venture has fallen apart

  • Chinese aviation giant says the passenger plane has entered ‘detailed design’ stage, but makes no mention of Russian firm’s involvement
  • The project has been marred by delays, and Moscow’s aerospace industry has been heavily sanctioned following invasion of Ukraine

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
29
Media reports suggest Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation has dropped out of a partnership with Chinese planemaker Comac to develop a widebody passenger jet. Photo: XinHua
Chinese aerospace giant Comac is pushing ahead with the design of a new widebody passenger jet amid reports that its joint venture with Russia to build the plane has fallen apart.
Advertisement
Addressing an aviation conference in Beijing on Friday, Qi Xuefeng, vice-president of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), said the design of the C929 widebody passenger jet had progressed.

“The C929 aircraft has entered into [the stage of] detailed design. At the same time, we are making efforts in the fields of hybrid, electric, hydrogen and other new energy aircraft to provide more economical, comfortable and environmentally friendly products,” Qi said at the conference organised by the China Air Transport Association (CATA).

He made no mention of Russian involvement in the project.

There have been media reports suggesting that Russian aerospace and defence company United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has dropped out of a partnership with Comac to develop a widebody passenger jet.
Advertisement
Advertisement