Construction starts on AVIC regional jet

Aviation Industry Corp of China, the State-owned aircraft giant, has begun to build its MA700 turboprop airliner, planning to conduct its first flight in 2019, according to the company.

Production for the aircraft's flaps started on Thursday at an AVIC plant in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. On the same day, the plane's doors began to be made at another AVIC factory in Shenyang, Liaoning province, according to AVIC.

Development of the MA700, China's latest regional airliner, was launched in December 2013 and has been listed by the government as an important program that will boost the country's civil aviation industry, together with the C919 and ARJ21 jetliners.