Zhang Yanzhong, a top engineer who played a leading role in developing China's C919 passenger jet, has unveiled a comprehensive plan to build a fully independent supply chain, cautioning that the program faces a real threat of being cut off from vital Western components.
The C919, China's flagship narrow-body airliner, has come under mounting pressure from US-led technology restrictions. The United States had already cut off the supply of LEAP engines for the aircraft, a move that China's tech outlet 36Kr reported in 2025, triggering a race to field a domestic turbofan often called the "Chinese heart." Meanwhile, the jet remains dependent on overseas suppliers for critical parts such as avionics and landing gear, leaving it strategically exposed, the South China Morning Post noted earlier this year.
In his roadmap, described by the South China Morning Post, Zhang laid out a step-by-step path to replace foreign components with homegrown alternatives. He stressed that the risk of decoupling from global supply chains is no longer theoretical and called for a coordinated national push toward full self-reliance. The plan prioritizes the domestic engine program, advanced materials, and key subsystems, as state-owned Comac grapples with delivery delays partly linked to its foreign dependencies.
China has already set ambitious five-year targets for C919 production and new engine development, aiming to sharply reduce reliance on imported parts, according to aviation industry platform eplaneai. The coming years will test whether Zhang's blueprint can deliver a passenger jet that is truly made in China.
