Multiple regions in China seek to join the C919 industry chain

According to the website of Hong Kong's South China Morning Post on December 10th, as Chinese aircraft manufacturers seek to accelerate the production of C919 aircraft, fierce competition is underway in various regions to compete for market share in this lucrative new industry

As the manufacturer of the C919, COMAC's main base has always been located in Shanghai, but as the company strives to put the C919 into mass production, it is also in talks with several other regions

As various regions are striving to attract high-tech investment and high skilled talent, analysts say that the competition for signing C919 related contracts will ultimately benefit COMAC, enabling it to establish a more resilient supply chain during industry turbulence

Fu Weigang, an expert at the Shanghai Institute of Finance and Law, said: "Various regions are competing to gain a share of this increasingly large cake, which is conducive to China's ambition to ultimately give COMAC a piece of the Boeing Airbus duopoly." The report stated that Shanghai is also taking rapid action to consolidate its position as the main production center of COMAC. A series of support policies have been introduced locally, including support for engine related research and development

According to local media reports, Shanghai has signed an agreement with this aircraft manufacturer for a series of aviation related projects

At a roundtable meeting held in Shanghai, local officials and executives from Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) expressed their ambition to build Shanghai into a civil aviation city comparable to Seattle in the United States and Toulouse in France

According to reports, at the same time, some other parts of China believe they can attract COMAC to transfer some of its related production here

For example, a document issued by relevant departments in Shaanxi in October stated that the province is seeking to establish a C919 manufacturing plant

The document states that the local government will "increase efforts to strive for the national layout of a number of forward-looking and strategic major projects such as the C919 second assembly production line, aviation engines, gas turbines, etc. in our province

According to media reports, Sichuan and Jiangxi have also expressed their ambitions in related areas

Since October, some provinces have signed or renewed cooperation agreements with COMAC, with a common focus on helping the company increase production

The report states that the new plan may include establishing a series of regional centers in cooperation with COMAC, which will closely liaise with local suppliers and coordinate logistics to ensure the production of domestically produced large aircraft

According to the agreement signed between COMAC and Hunan in November, one such center will be located in Changsha, Hunan, responsible for promoting supply in the central region

As COMAC ambitiously hopes to compete with Boeing and Airbus for dominance in the Chinese market in the future, the C919 may also bring new opportunities to Western companies, especially those with production bases in China