Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday commended the achievements made in the development of the C919 large passenger aircraft and called for more major breakthroughs in China's high-end equipment manufacturing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets representatives from the C919 project team at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2022. Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when meeting representatives from the C919 project team and viewing an exhibition on the project's achievements at the Great Hall of the People.

Having large domestic passenger aircraft soaring in the sky bears the will of the state, the dream of the nation, and the expectations of the people, Xi said.

He stressed the need to fully exploit the country's new system for mobilizing the resources nationwide and to prioritize safety and quality in making continuous efforts for more breakthroughs in key and core technologies, and for large scale and serialization in development. He called for solid progress in building the country into a manufacturing powerhouse.

Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the event.

Safety and reliability should come first, and all potential safety hazards should be eliminated, Xi told the representatives.

He was briefed about the design, manufacturing, experimenting, test flights, and airworthiness of the C919 large passenger aircraft while visiting the exhibition on the project's achievements.

On the journey to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we need to focus on a long-term strategy, set concrete goals in light of actual conditions, choose the right technological path, and keep up the good work step by step, Xi stressed.

Aim high and be brave to ascend the peaks of the global technological landscape, Xi said.

The C919 large passenger aircraft is China's first self-developed trunk jetliner. The plane conducted its successful maiden flight in 2017 and obtained the type certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China after completing all airworthiness certification in September 2022.

The first C919 large passenger aircraft will be delivered by the end of this year.

The successful development of the C919 large passenger aircraft and its acquisition of type certificate indicates that China has the ability to independently develop world-class large passenger aircraft, which is an important milestone in this field.