Beijing’s dual-hubs hit a 124M passenger milestone as CAAC Chief Song Zhiyong sets a new “Efficiency Floor.” COMAC debuts the C919-600 “Mountain Jet” while the industry undergoes a systemic corruption purge. Meanwhile, diplomatic recalibration brings Air Canada back to the mainland.

As EASA pilots commence C919 verification flights and the CJ-2000 engine hits a 35-ton thrust record, China accelerates its hardware sovereignty. Amid a record 95-million passenger Spring Festival rush, the “Governed Age” of aviation has arrived, prioritizing state-led discipline and certification over raw market volume.

Air China’s tactical divestment from Cathay Pacific and the CAAC’s formal “anti-involution” mandate defined the second week of January 2026. As EASA signals a 2028-2031 certification window for the C919, the industry prepares for a record 95-million-trip Spring Festival under a new era of “Managed Yield.”

China’s aviation sector reports a 6.5B RMB profit for 2025, but razor-thin yields highlight a persistent “involution trap.” As the new Civil Aviation Law and Police Law institutionalize the Low-Altitude Economy and the Venezuela route collapses, the industry pivots toward “Managed Stability” and geopolitical realism.

At the close of 2025, China’s civil aviation officially enters the era of the “Architecture of Control.” The newly adopted revision of the Civil Aviation Law establishes a shift from “product auditing” to “systemic governance” and mandates strict airworthiness standards for UAVs. COMAC delivered 41 aircraft this year; while December’s 12 deliveries tied the monthly record, the annual total fell short of early-year expectations due to persistent supply chain bottlenecks. As the 15th Five-Year Plan begins, state control has replaced raw expansion as the industry’s core logic.

Policy guidance has accelerated the entry of state-owned capital into the low-altitude economy, objectively squeezing the room for private players, particularly as SOEs compete with clear advantages in capital depth, resources, and institutional backing. This transition is anchored by the CAAC’s release of two pivotal airworthiness consultation drafts for powered-lift and restricted-category unmanned systems, establishing a more rigorous regulatory roadmap that effectively filters the market.

Macron left Beijing without the 500-jet mega-order, marking China’s shift to “Delivery Diplomacy.” Domestically, capital mutates as a liquor giant bails out Sichuan Airlines, while the C909 faces a critical profitability test under mixed ownership. In the low-altitude sector, logistics drones outpace air taxis in real-world utility.