HANOI (Reuters) – The Vietnam government said late on Wednesday that it will consider removing regulatory hurdles to allow aircraft manufactured by Chinese state-owned planemaker COMAC to operate in the country.
COMAC is seeking to establish itself as an alternative to leading Western planemakers Airbus and Boeing. However, its two passenger plane models currently operate almost exclusively within mainland China, and the company seeks to expand its presence in international markets.
Before an airline can operate any aircraft model, it must receive approval from the national aviation regulator.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha assigned the transport ministry to review existing rules to remove regulatory hurdles to enable COMAC planes to operate in Vietnam, the government said in a statement, after a meeting in Hanoi between Ha and COMAC Board Director Tan Wangeng.
COMAC has been eyeing Vietnam as a potential market for some time, and conducted a southeast Asia marketing tour last February, during which it flew two demonstration planes to the country.
COMAC lacks benchmark certifications from the EU or the United States for its short-haul regional jet, C909, and its larger C919 model. Industry sources suggest that this is hindering the company’s efforts to sell or lease to foreign airlines.
Ha said as an initial step low-cost carrier VietJet, Vietnam’s leading private airline, may work with a Chinese airline operating COMAC planes to test aircraft on some routes.
VietJet declined to comment on any potential cooperation with COMAC when asked earlier this week.
(Reporting by Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Lisa Barrington in Seoul; Editing by John Mair and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
