The third prototype of China's home-built C919 takes off during its first test flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on December 28, 2018.Photo: VCG

China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said if reports that the US is considering banning its firms' aircraft engine exports to China's homegrown passenger jet C919 are true, it will be another example of the US using political means to sabotage bilateral business ties and hold back China's growth. 

It shows that these US officials are ignorant of science and technology, contemptuous of market principles, and fearful of China's development, Geng Shuang, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at Tuesday's press conference.

Such moves will not only affect Chinese companies' legitimate rights and interests, but also bring no benefit to the US companies in the long run, Geng said, urging the US to treat Chinese companies and business cooperation in an objective and fair manner, and to promote normal trade instead of constantly unreasonable disruption.

Since the engine system of the C919 series has adopted a development strategy of global cooperation, the US with its existing technology has advantages in the cooperation, Wang Ya'nan, a senior industry expert, told the Global Times.

To simply ban engine exports to China is not smart, as China could switch to other suppliers and speed up its own research and development, experts said, noting that it's the US companies that will ultimately bear the losses.

US-based General Electric Co (GE), which is reported to be one of the companies being considered in the export ban, told the Global Times in a statement that "[GE is] working actively with the US government to obtain the export license for C919 engines."

Aerospace- and defense industry-related shares in China keep rising on Tuesday despite the US posture.

Many shares hit the daily limit of a 10-percent rise, leading the rise of China's A-share market amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), including AECC Aero-Engine Control Co, which closed at 13.92 yuan ($1.99) in Shenzhen, and AECC Aero Science and Technology Co, which closed at 15.9 yuan in Shanghai.


Newspaper headline: GE engine ban another US assault on China