BEIJING — A Chinese military utility helicopter roughly equivalent to the Sikorsky H-60 made its first flight on Dec. 23, state media report. The helicopter, with the unconfirmed designation Z-20, is a 10-metric-ton (22,000 lb.) aircraft suitable for operation from high-altitude fields, China Central Television says. For almost three decades, China has relied on 24 UH-60 Black Hawks bought in the 1980s for such operations.

The Asia-Pacific region is so vast and diverse that it often defies definition as an airline industry bloc. However, some broad trends are noticeable in many markets. One example: the low-cost carrier sector is still in the rapid development phase, meaning high growth and increasing pressure for legacy carriers. At the same time, some of the major carriers are struggling with increased competition and sliding demand in their home markets.

China Eastern Airlines, already the major Chinese airline with the greatest focus on low-cost operations, is planning to operate a mainland budget subsidiary from Beijing. At the same time, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is stepping up its campaign to promote low-cost airlines, setting aside its long-standing disdain for the potentially destabilizing model.