(Yicai) April 17 -- Both Vietnam and Malaysia have expressed their openness to using Chinese airplanes following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent state visits to the two Southeast Asian nations in a sign that China’s self-developed passenger jets may soon be flying more international routes.

Vietnam welcomes Vietnam Airlines to introduce and operate Chinese commercial aircraft through various means, according to the China-Vietnam statement, which also expressed support for deeper co-operation in the aviation sector.

Malaysia supports Malaysia Airlines in introducing and operating Chinese commercial aircraft, as part of industrial upgrades and energy transition goals, according to the China-Malaysia statement, which also said the two countries will explore collaboration in areas such as rail equipment, aerospace and nuclear power.

The aircraft being referred to are the C909 and C919 which are produced by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Yicai learned.

The C909 has already entered several Southeast Asian markets, while the C919 is speeding up efforts to get international certification.

Some 162 units of the C909 had been delivered as of the end of March. The regional jet flies 645 routes connecting 158 cities and has safely carried over 20 million passengers.

The C919, which is China’s first homegrown large passenger aircraft, is currently applying for EU certification. This is a prerequisite for entering the European and American markets and operating in foreign airspace. In the second half of 2024, a delegation from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency visited Shanghai for on-site inspections of the C919 and gave "positive feedback."

The C919 is expected to obtain its EU certification this year, said Gu Xin, director of the Shanghai Aircraft Airworthiness Certification Center of Civil Aviation Administration of China.

This could open up huge new markets. Michael O'Leary, the chief executive officer of Ryanair, recently said that if the C919 is competitively priced, Europe's largest low-cost airline would not hesitate to place an order.

Editor: Kim Taylor