The C919, China's response to Boeing and Airbus, completed its first commercial flight.

On Sunday, China’s first large domestically built passenger jet made its maiden commercial journey, flying from Shanghai to Beijing, according to Xinhua news agency.

Operating as China Eastern Airlines flight MU9191, the C919 departed Shanghai at 10:32 a.m. local time and landed in Beijing at 12:31 p.m., where it was greeted with a traditional water salute at the airport.

Following years of development, the debut of the C919 is a significant milestone in China's 'Made in China 2025' initiative, which seeks to enhance domestic production and reduce dependence on foreign-made aircraft in the country’s aviation industry.

"The first commercial flight marks the aircraft’s coming-of-age, and the C919 will continue to improve as it faces market demands," said Zhang Xiaoguang, marketing and sales director at COMAC, in a report by Xinhua.

With a range of 5,555 kilometers (3,452 miles), the C919 is set to challenge the dominance of Airbus and Boeing. It directly competes with their popular A320 and B737 models, commonly used for domestic and regional international routes.

The first C919, produced by COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China), was delivered to China Eastern Airlines in December 2022 and has since undergone a series of rigorous test flights.

This single-aisle, twin-engine jet features a two-class cabin configuration with 164 seats, including both business and economy options.

As of the end of 2022, 32 customers had placed a total of 1,035 orders for the C919, according to the Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Report published by the Shanghai government.

Key components of the aircraft, including the nose, fuselage, wings, and stabilizers, were all designed by COMAC.

Despite being developed by COMAC, the C919 also relies on Western expertise for certain components. Notably, the aircraft is powered by LEAP-1C engines, designed by CFM International, a collaboration between General Electric and the French industrial giant Safran.