China's commercial airplane fleet is projected to more than double in size over the next 20 years, driven by economic growth and air traffic demand, according to Boeing's latest market forecast released in Beijing on Tuesday.

Boeing's 2024 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for China predicts a 4.1-percent annual growth in the country's commercial airplane fleet over the next 20 years, from the current 4,300 or so to around 9,700 by 2043.

"It's important to look at how China's economy has recovered from the pandemic and remains very healthy," said Darren Hulst, vice president of commercial marketing at Boeing.

In the first half of this year, China's civil aviation industry witnessed a total of 350 million passenger trips, a year-on-year increase of 23.5 percent and an increase of 9 percent over the same period in 2019.

"China's commercial aviation market for passengers and cargo continues to expand, driven by economic growth and airlines building their in-country networks. The economy continues to grow, private consumption continues to grow, and ultimately industrial production is also on a growth trajectory. All are important drivers of demand for both passenger and cargo traffic," Hulst said.

Boeing forecasted that the Chinese civil aviation market will require 8,830 new airplanes over the next 20 years, including regional jets, single aisle aircraft, wide-body aircraft and freighters.

Over the next 20 years, Chinese carriers will need aviation services worth $780 billion to support the growing fleet, including digital solutions, maintenance and modifications, according to the Boeing market forecast.

The CMO also predicts that air travel in China will become the world's largest traffic flow, driving growth in the single-aisle fleet, which accounts for more than three-quarters of deliveries. China will have the world's largest wide-body fleet, with demand for 1,575 new wide-body airplanes; and China's freighter fleet – including dedicated and converted models – will nearly triple with demand stimulated by its booming e-commerce sector.

Meanwhile, besides the Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, two other Chinese airlines – Air China and China Southern Airlines – also received their first C919 jets at COMAC's manufacturing base on Wednesday in Shanghai, which indicates the beginning of a new phase of operation of the C919 planes by multiple airlines. So far, C919 has netted more than 1,000 orders at home and abroad, and nine aircraft have been delivered.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Air China's Boeing 777-300ER in flight in Shanghai, China, August 18, 2024. /CFP)