China's self-developed C919 large passenger aircraft will be delivered within this year, The Paper reported on Wednesday, citing its developer.

Wu Yongliang, deputy general manager of the Shanghai-based Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), said the pandemic's impact on the C919 project has been controllable, and the work is progressing in an orderly manner.

American aerospace manufacturer Boeing and France-based Airbus have long been the so-called duopoly in the commercial airline market worth trillions of U.S. dollars.

The C919, as part of China's goal to develop homemade civil airplanes, is trying to rival with medium-range aircraft from the two global giants, such as Airbus's A320 and Boeing's 737 MAX.

C919 has 158 to 168 seats, a standard range of 4,075 kilometers and a maximum range of 5,555 kilometers. It had its successful maiden flight in 2017. 

China Eastern Airlines, one of the country's largest airlines also headquartered in Shanghai, signed a contract to buy five C919 jetliners from COMAC in March 2021.