Explainer | How vulnerable is China’s C919 narrowbody passenger jet to US sanctions and could they clip its wings?
- China’s C919 narrowbody passenger jet went into commercial operation this year, but relies on imported parts and technology, especially from the US
- But the US has rolled out restrictions aimed at preventing US-made civil aviation products from being diverted for military use
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Why it took China’s home-grown C919 plane 15 years to start flying passengers
The United States has expanded its export controls and trade sanctions against China over advanced technology, including semiconductors and aviation, as relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated.
However, the plane, which took more than 14 years to develop, relies on imported parts and technology, especially from the US.
The C919’s LEAP engine is made by CFM International, a joint venture between American firm GE Aviation and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines.
What are the restrictions relating to aviation?
Over the years, the US government has grown wary of China’s civil-military strategy, which aims to ensure military and economic development advances in lockstep with scientific and technological innovation.
