China debuts first passenger plane to rival Airbus and Boeing
Government-run Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) will launch a 168-seat passenger plane before July this year, according to state media. Known as the C919, the single-aisle aircraft was designed to compete with aircraft such as the Airbus 320 and Boeing's 737. The plane was initially scheduled to make its first journey in 2015, but the need for additional testing delayed the launch. As of November 2016, COMAC had received 570 orders for the C919 from 23 customers, including state-owned firms Air China, China Southern and China Eastern Airlines.
China's first homegrown passenger plane is to take to the skies before July this year, according to state media.

A China state-owned manufacturer first unveiled the C919 in November 2015, leaving analysts wondering whether it can compete with major manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing.

The single-aisle aircraft, which can seat 168 passengers, has now installed its on-board system and undertaken a series of load tests.

The People's Daily Online said Tuesday that test results confirm "that the framework of the jetliner is strong enough to support future navigation."

The plane, produced by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), was originally scheduled to make its debut journey in 2015, but the date was pushed back to satisfy additional testing.