China

The CAAC has recognized AFRA Disassembly Accreditation, enabling Chinese airlines and MRO providers to access used serviceable material from aircraft disassembled overseas.

The speed and scale of China’s expansion signals its determination to be self-sustaining in CF production for commercial, defense and space applications.

XPeng’s flying car affiliate Aridge has secured a place in a United Arab Emirates regulatory sandbox, its first national-level testing framework outside of China.

Chinese air exercises test PLAAF composite-force operations, overseas command structures and tactical decision-making across diverse environments.

Airbus has rolled out the first Airbus A320neo from its second A320 final assembly line in Tianjin, China.

Space manufacturer Rocket Lab has introduced to the market a new solar cell product free of germanium substrates.

U.S. airlines seek extensions for China and Cuba route waivers, citing lagging demand and regulatory flexibility through winter 2026-27 without dormancy penalties.

Kazakhstan is negotiating Chinese K-8W trainers and transport aircraft as it expands defense ties with Beijing.

Ethiopian Airlines has launched a dedicated cargo service directly connecting Africa with Chengdu, in southwestern China.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

The Shanghai municipal government calls for expanded manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities for China's domestically developed commercial aircraft programs as the country enters its next five-year planning period.

China’s previously undisclosed suborbital reusable space vehicle has been designated AT-1B, with CASC targeting commercial missions from around 2030.

As China’s launch demands grow, its rocket industry is scaling up to provide more sustainable and capable systems.

EHang is facing fresh uncertainty over the rollout of commercial passenger operations in China.

Royal Jordanian and Air China sign an MOU to deepen cooperation, paving the way for the first nonstop Amman-Beijing service and expanded collaboration.

China has scrubbed plans to commence the Chang'e-7 lunar lander mission in the currently-planned window, citing that it does not meet launch requirements.

The Chinese air force is showcasing its long-range deployment capacity, dispatching some of its J-16 fighters to Africa for the first time as part of a wider force package participating in a military exercise in Egypt.

CAS Space completed propulsion-system tests for its Kinastra-1 upper stage, clearing it for the inaugural test flight early next year.

Yivtol delivers its ultralight eVTOL to North America, with plans for global insurance, FAA certification and U.S. manufacturing.

Air China has completed its first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) uplift under the “Changping Model,” a full-chain closed-loop system designed to produce, supply and account for SAF within Beijing's Changping district.

Chinese commercial space company LandSpace Technology Corporation has landed the first-stage booster of a ZhuQue-3 rocket, marking the country's first successful recovery of an orbital-class booster by a commercial launch company.

China’s AutoFlight has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesian helicopter operator Whitesky Aviation for 60 V2000EM Prosperity passenger eVTOLs.

Turkish Airlines has confirmed plans to add Chengdu to its network in November, expanding its mainland China footprint to four destinations.

As space domain awareness grows in importance, Astranis has introduced a new spacecraft to detect and assess objects in higher orbits.

China suffered the loss of a Long March 7A rocket on launch in a rare setback for the country’s launch operations.