Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

This MK sports Koreayear, 16 C919 aircraft are participating in China's Spring Festival travel rush, according to a report by CCTV, representing a significant increase compared with the previous year. The involvement of these domestically produced aircraft in this major event highlights the country's progress in science and industry, serving as a testament to years of dedicated research and innovation.

In 2024, China Eastern had already deployed four C919 aircraft to accommodate the Spring Festival travel surge, as reported by thepaper.cn. 

About a year later, the number of C919 aircraft involved in the event has grown, attracting widespread attention. The hashtag "16 C919 aircraft in the Spring Festival travel rush" had garnered 27.5 million views on Sina Weibo as of press time, becoming a trending topic on China's social media. Many netizens praised the achievements of the C919.

In the aviation industry, there's a saying that resonates deeply: "Good airplanes are built, but they are also flown into greatness." This phrase highlights the synergy between engineering excellence and real-world resilience. The Spring Festival travel rush, one of China's busiest travel seasons, exemplifies this balance. During this period, flight frequencies soar, and aircraft utilization rates remain high. This year's Spring Festival travel rush is set to last until February 22, totaling 40 days. During these 40 days, a total of 90 million trips by air are expected to be made across the country, according to China's Ministry of Transport. 

Amid this busy travel season, the integration of 16 C919 aircraft into the network stands as a powerful testament to the aircraft's ability to meet the rigorous demands of this peak period. This milestone is a strong vote of confidence in China's homegrown aircraft, highlighting its continued reliability and performance in one of the world's busiest travel periods.

Since the C919 commenced commercial operations on May 28, 2023, it had, by December 19, 2024, carried one million passengers, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency. 

The steady growth shown by these impressive figures could serve as a positive factor, boosting the C919's prospects for securing more orders and further stimulating the development of China's aviation manufacturing industry.

In January, Shen Bo, vice president of the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), stated in an interview with thepaper.cn that the C919's output is expected to reach 30 aircraft in 2025. 

Large aircraft are regarded as the crown jewels of modern manufacturing, distinguished by their technical complexity and vast industrial networks. Today, numerous domestic aviation-related enterprises are integral to the industrial chain of the C919. Each milestone in the C919's development marks not only the ongoing progress of China's manufacturing sector but also fuels the continued expansion of its high-end manufacturing industries.

The continuous progress of the C919 industrial chain can be seen as a microcosm of the high-quality development of China's manufacturing industry. In 2024, China's manufacturing industry continued to advance in its pursuit of high-end, intelligent and sustainable development, driving the growth of high-quality industrial progress. 

Of course, it is undeniable that China's high-end manufacturing sector faces fierce competition in the international arena. Taking large aircraft as an example, the C919 has made steady progress, advancing gradually and achieving key milestones over the years. 

From this perspective, the 2025 Spring Festival travel rush will likely mark another milestone in the development of the C919.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. [email protected]