The type certificate presentation ceremony for C919 was held at Beijing Capital International Airport on September 29. Vice Premier Liu He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee attended and addressed the ceremony. Wang Yong, State Councilor, read out the congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Liu He indicated that President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the development of wide-body airliners and has made multiple instructions. Over the past 15 years, the team C919 wide-body passenger aircraft has overcome hardships and difficulties. Now it has successfully received the type certificate, marking a significant milestone in China’s undertaking of developing wide-body aircraft independently. The hard-won achievement is attributed to the strong leadership and wise decision of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the coordination of all aspects, and the long-term efforts made by everyone in the aeronautic industry represented by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC).

Liu pointed out the necessity to learn from the development mode of large aircraft and the related successful experience. He called for efforts to first, firmly implement the strategic decisions made by the CPC Central Committee; second, leverage on the advantages of the new system of pooling national resources and strengths, promote the integration of government and market and of industries, universities, and research institutes and uphold the talent-first strategy; third, make full use of the advantages of China’s massive domestic market and integrate efforts in boosting demand and stepping up supply to create a favorable environment for the development. Developing large airliners represents a long-term undertaking China must follow through, Liu said, adding that quality and safety must be the first priority and efforts be intensified to build China into an aeronautic powerhouse, a civil aviation powerhouse and a manufacturing powerhouse with new achievements.

Jin Zhuanglong, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, hosted the ceremony. And the type certificate was presented by Song Zhiyong, Administrator of CAAC, to He Dongfeng, Chairman of COMAC.