China’s first “independently developed” passenger jet is set to make its first commercial international flight, flying from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia on Wednesday.

Comac C919 is a narrow-body aircraft similar in size to the Boeing 737. It has operated domestic routes since 2023 and has been promoted as a potential challenger to the Boeing-Airbus duopoly.

The C919 is built by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd, commonly known as Comac.

The development of C919 reflects China’s ambition to become self-sufficient in commercial aviation, a national security priority. But analysts argue building large passenger aircraft has proved far harder for China than making rapid advances in areas like electric vehicles and robotics.

The plane uses foreign technology – more than half of its suppliers are reportedly based in the US – and relies on international companies for help with the complex integration of components and software.

Analysts say the flight across the border to Mongolia is largely symbolic and doesn’t yet signal a serious international breakthrough.

“This is essentially a public relations move,” Scott Kennedy, senior adviser at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, told the Guardian.

“Ulaanbaatar was likely chosen because of how close it is to Beijing. It doesn’t change the fact that the plane was years overdue, is composed of Western components, and is less efficient than its Boeing and Airbus cousins.”

Comac faces major hurdles in production, certification and international trust. It delivered just 15 C919s last year against the target of 75, and the aircraft is yet to be certified by European and US regulators.

Mr Kennedy rejected the characterisation of the C919 as a wholly Chinese aircraft, pointing to its heavy reliance on components sourced from overseas.

He argued that Comac was “very unlikely” to become a major rival to Boeing and Airbus even “a generation from now”.

According to Comac, C919 is China’s first “independently developed narrow-body passenger jet” built to “international airworthiness standards”. The base model can fly 158-192 passengers up to 5,555km away.

The first C919 rolled off the production line in late 2015 and made its maiden flight in May 2017. It received certification from China’s Civil Aviation Administration in September 2022 and the first jet was delivered in December that year. The C919 entered commercial service with its first passenger flight on 28 May 2023.