The SCMP said China’s plan to become a powerhouse in the civil aircraft industry could be severely affected by US export control orders for aviation equipment, amid tensions between the two countries. still has no signs of cooling down.
The trade war between the world’s two largest economies has spread to a fierce competition in technology and the aviation sector has become one of the targets.
Due to fears that America’s global competitiveness could be affected and critical technology could fall into the hands of the Chinese military, Washington has "launched a blow" on Chinese companies, including in those sectors. such as aerospace, by restricting them from purchasing products made by US companies.
The toughness with the Chinese aviation industry has been carried out by the administration of former US President Donald Trump since late 2020, when a series of Chinese companies were put on the "black list".
Although the White House has changed hands after the new administration of Joe Biden took office, these restrictions have yet to show signs, said Scott Kennedy from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). is possible and the scenario can never be loosened.
China has high hopes for the C919, a commercial jet expected to compete with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. They expect the C919 to achieve its airworthiness certification this year.
However, manufacturer C919, China Commercial Aircraft Corporation (Comac), has been accused of having ties to the Chinese military, meaning that US companies cannot invest in Comac, a company. state of China.
"I don’t think the US sees Comac and China as global competitors, but I also think there are many US officials who want the opportunity," said a representative of the aviation and defense consulting firm Teal Group. this is to show toughness on trade and intellectual property issues with China ".
China is a major importer of US aviation products and is also largely dependent on US components during the manufacturing of the C919.
"It is unlikely that China can produce commercial aircraft autonomously in the next 30-40 years," said Kennedy.
