Orders for China's C919 jumbo jet reach 600

SHANGHAI - Orders for China's first homegrown large passenger jet, the C919, reached 600 aircraft on Tuesday as a new customer signed to book 30 of the jets.

China Everbright Financial Leasing Co Ltd on Tuesday placed the order with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the Shanghai-based manufacturer of the C919.

Zhang Jinliang, president of China Everbright Bank, which has a 90-percent stake in Everbright Financial Leasing, said the bank will continue cooperation with COMAC in research and development as well as marketing.

So far, a total of 24 foreign and domestic customers, including China's national carrier Air China, have placed orders for the aircraft.

C919 completed its maiden test flight in May, making China the fourth jumbo jet producer after the United States, Western Europe and Russia.

With a standard range of 4,075 kilometers, the China-made jet is comparable to updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new generation 737 planes, signaling the country's entry into the global aviation market.