U.S. Halts Sale of Key Aviation Technology to China’s COMAC Amid Trade Tensions
In a fresh escalation of trade and technology tensions between the United States and China, the U.S. government has suspended the sale of certain critical technologies—including aviation engine components—to China’s state-owned aircraft manufacturer COMAC. The move, first reported by The New York Times on Wednesday, May 28, further complicates the outlook for the Chinese aerospace firm.
COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) is actively developing its commercial aircraft program, with the C919 as its flagship model, aimed at competing directly with Western giants Airbus and Boeing. However, propulsion—one of the most vital aspects of aircraft design—still relies heavily on imported foreign technology, as China has yet to establish a viable, certified domestic alternative at scale.
According to sources cited by the New York Times, the U.S. action appears to be a response to recent Chinese restrictions on the export of critical minerals that are essential to American industries. In this context, the U.S. Department of Commerce suspended several export licenses that had allowed American firms to supply key products and technologies for the development and production of the C919.
A Commerce Department spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that the agency is reviewing exports of “strategically significant” items destined for China. “In some cases, Commerce has suspended existing export licenses or imposed additional licensing requirements while the review is ongoing,” the department stated. Three individuals with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that aviation equipment and components are among the sectors affected by the review and the subsequent restrictions.
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A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington strongly opposed the measures, telling Reuters that “China firmly opposes the U.S.’s broad application of national security concepts, abuse of export controls, and malicious suppression and containment of China.” COMAC has not yet issued a public response to requests for comment.
The C919, a Chinese-assembled narrow-body twinjet, features a significant number of international components. Chief among these is the LEAP-1C engine, manufactured by CFM International—a joint venture between U.S.-based GE Aerospace and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines. GE Aerospace declined to comment immediately on the matter.
The C919 program, designed to rival Airbus’s A320neo and Boeing’s 737 MAX families, entered commercial service in May 2023 after being certified by China’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) in 2022. According to data from aviation intelligence provider ch-aviation, there are currently 18 C919 aircraft in operation, all serving domestic routes within mainland China and Hong Kong.
The commercial relationship for the supply of these engines dates back to 2014, when GE Aerospace received its first license to sell LEAP engines to COMAC. In early 2020, under then-President Donald Trump, the U.S. government considered denying the renewal of that license. However, after deliberation, the authorization was granted.
In February of that year, Trump stated publicly, “I want China to buy our airplane engines—the best in the world. I want to make it easy to do business with the U.S., not harder.” The current suspension of licenses reflects a notable departure from that earlier stance.
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