China has launched a large-scale import substitution program to equip the COMAC C919 passenger airliner with locally manufactured components and reduce foreign dependence. The initiative targets critical parts ranging from engines and flight avionics to specialized sealants, rubber, paint coatings, fasteners, and cleaning agents. In developing domestic civil aviation supply chains, China is following an approach similar to Russia.
Zhang Xiaoyan, chief engineer at the Aero Engine Corporation of China Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, announced the goal of the initiative at an aviation forum in Guangzhou on August 22, 2026. Zhang said the program aims to protect Chinese aviation manufacturing from reliance on foreign supply chains and potential geopolitical restrictions.
Engineers are currently testing several newly developed Chinese materials directly on the C919, while state aircraft manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, known as COMAC, evaluates other components. Zhang noted that replacing imports entirely within a few months is impossible because aviation components must prove their reliability through lengthy testing and official certification.
Engine and Chemical Substitution
One existing success in the import replacement effort is the Chinese polythioether sealant HM1176. Since 2025, builders have used HM1176 across the C919 program and in developing the CJ-1000 domestic aviation engine. The sealant protects structural elements of the aircraft from corrosion while sealing key assemblies.
The CJ-1000 is designed as a Chinese replacement for the LEAP-1C engine, which remains the sole powerplant available for production models of the C919. CFM International, a joint venture between American manufacturer GE Aerospace and French aerospace company Safran, produces the LEAP-1C.
China continues to rely on Western suppliers for various critical aircraft systems and materials. European and American vendors supply functional compounds, composite materials, protective coatings, and specialized aviation chemicals to COMAC. American firm PPG Industries remains a major partner, providing aviation coatings, sealants, and transparent cockpit elements.
AECC officials acknowledged that foreign materials maintain a significant lead due to decades of operational history and proven safety records. Maintenance teams must still use imported cleaning formulations for certain engine servicing tasks. To bridge the technical gap, China plans to transfer anti-corrosion coatings, adhesives, and chemical compounds developed for military combat aircraft to civilian jets, including the C919 and the planned wide-body C929.
European Certification and Global Standards
COMAC representatives emphasized that introducing domestic components will not hinder European certification of the C919. The company views domestic parts primarily as alternative supply sources rather than an immediate attempt to cut off all foreign equipment.
In July 2026, test pilots from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency conducted a series of test flights aboard the C919 in Shanghai. European certification remains a lengthy process as regulators review test flight data and prepare further technical evaluations.
Chinese aviation material manufacturers have already achieved limited international approval. Special protective seals made in China previously received approval from European planemaker Airbus for use on A330 passenger aircraft engines operating within Chinese airlines.
The COMAC C919 is China's first domestically developed narrow-body passenger jet, designed to compete directly with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 in the commercial aviation market.
