China’s ambitious endeavor to rival global aviation giants Boeing and Airbus with its domestically developed C919 passenger jet is encountering significant hurdles. Despite Beijing’s vision of technological self-reliance, the project is grappling with production delays, geopolitical tensions, and reliance on Western components. The C919, a single-aisle aircraft manufactured by state-owned COMAC, has fallen short of its 2023 delivery targets, with only seven units delivered as of October, compared to the planned 30 by 2025.