Avic General Aircraft hopes to begin production next year of two business aircraft, one a jet and one piston-engine. Separately, the Chinese company has launched a four-engine amphibious aircraft, an extensive update of the SH-5 flying boat developed and built in small quantities from the 1960s to 1980s.

The big-three Chinese airlines are comfortably outperform-ing the local stock market, even as operating profits remain weak. Shares in the largest, China Southern, have risen 95% from their low in the past 52 weeks, while China Eastern is 108% above its 52-week low. The price of Air China, widely regarded as the best managed of the three, has tripled since hitting a cyclical low in November. By comparison, the Shanghai Composite index has gained 71% since its 2008 low.

Comac will announce its first customers for the C919 narrowbody next year and says it is talking to both foreign and Chinese airlines. Work has been allocated among the Chinese factories that competed to build the structure of the aircraft, which will seat 156 in two classes in its standard version. First flight is planned for 2014 and first delivery for 2016.