China’s Aviation Industry: From Follower to Competitor in the Global Aerospace Market

The Chinese aviation industry has come a long way from the initial attempts at licensed aircraft assembly production in the 1930s to the formation of a powerful scientific and industrial complex capable of developing and producing a wide range of world-class aircraft. The establishment of large aircraft corporations AVIC and COMAC in the early 2000s allowed the industry to become more efficient and to start developing its own civil and military aircraft. The launch of the C919 project demonstrates that China can compete with aircraft leaders in the regional airplane market. Over the past decade, China has made significant progress in mastering advanced technologies and knowledge-intensive areas of aircraft construction. 3D printing, production of composite materials, radio electronics and avionics, including electronic warfare systems, are being actively introduced. Progress has been demonstrated in the development of aircraft engines, which have been commercialized in China’s first passenger aircraft. At the same time, technological challenges remain for the Chinese aviation industry, such as the need to develop competitive aircraft engines. Nevertheless, given the current pace of development, the PRC’s influence in the global civil and military aircraft market can be projected to grow further. The purpose of the study, the results of which are outlined in this article, is to comprehensively examine the current state and prospects of the Chinese aviation industry and assess its competitiveness compared to Airbus and Boeing. The analysis of the industry has shown that the Chinese aviation industry in a short historical period was able to overcome the technological lag and reach the level of world leaders in a number of areas. Modern China has a powerful scientific and industrial potential to create competitive aviation equipment, including civil passenger airplanes for domestic and international markets. Further development of advanced technologies, including stealth, hypersonics and electro-aviation, opens up prospects for taking the Chinese aviation industry to a new level in the future.