China's domestically developed passenger aircraft, the C919, successfully completed its maiden flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong on New Year's Day, marking the jetliner's first commercial operation beyond the Chinese mainland.

2025年1月1日，新年第一天，中国自主研发的客机C919顺利完成从上海至香港的首航之旅，标志着该喷气式客机在中国大陆以外的首次商业飞行。

China Eastern Airlines' Flight MU721, carrying 157 passengers, took off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 8:21 am on Wednesday and arrived at Hong Kong International Airport at 10:44 am, marking the inauguration of the route operating this aircraft.

1月1日上午8点21分，中国东方航空MU721航班搭载157名乘客，从上海虹桥国际机场起飞，于上午10点44分抵达香港国际机场，标志着该航线正式启用C919客机执飞。

Wan Xiangdong, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China's East China Regional Administration, said that every achievement made by the C919 has clearly proved China's capability in science and technology.

中国民用航空局华东地区管理局局长万向东表示，C919取得的每一项成就都充分证明了中国的科技实力。

The launch of a Shanghai-Hong Kong direct flight using the C919 will "further accumulate valuable experience" for the aircraft's commercial operation, "laying a solid foundation for the jetliner to tap into the broader international market", Wan said.

万向东指出，开通C919执飞的上海至香港直飞航班将为该客机的商业运营“进一步积累宝贵经验”、“为喷气式客机进军更广阔的国际市场奠定坚实基础”。

Liu Tiexiang, general manager of China Eastern Air Holding Co, said the flight has opened a new chapter in the high-quality development of the nation's self-developed passenger aircraft.

中国东方航空集团有限公司总经理刘铁祥表示，此次航班开启了国家自主研发客机高质量发展的新篇章。

"Sharing similar cultures, Shanghai and Hong Kong are both international centers for finance, trade and shipping. The two cities have a long history of exchanges and economic cooperation. The new daily flight of the C919 is expected to better showcase China's capability in manufacturing and services by offering more diversified travel options," Liu said.

刘铁祥说：“上海和香港有着相似的文化，又都是国际金融、贸易和航运中心。两座城市在文化交流和经贸合作方面历史悠久。C919新增的每日航班将为旅客提供更多样化的出行选择，更好地展现中国在制造和服务方面的能力。”

Since the aircraft's maiden commercial flight on May 28, 2023, China Eastern's C919 fleet has conducted more than 6,600 commercial flights and completed close to 1 million passenger trips, Liu added.

刘铁祥补充道，中国东航C919机队自2023年5月28日执行首次商业飞行以来，累计执飞商业航班超6600次，累计承运旅客人数近100万人次。

Mable Chan, Hong Kong's secretary for transport and logistics, said: "As the C919 achieved one milestone after another, we hoped that one day it would be used for regular flights to Hong Kong. Today, that dream of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has finally come true."

香港运输及物流局局长陈美宝表示：“随着C919完成一个又一个里程碑，我们希望有朝一日它能来到香港提供定期航班。香港特区政府的愿景在今日终于能够达成。”

As China's first trunk jetliner designed in accordance with international standards, the C919 started its commercial operation in May 2023 and it flew over the scenic Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong in December the same year.

作为中国首款按照国际标准设计的喷气式干线客机，C919于2023年5月启动商业运营，并于同年12月飞越了风景秀丽的香港维多利亚港。

Lin Zhijie, an aviation industry analyst, said the aircraft's commercial launch between Shanghai and Hong Kong will help it accumulate experience for further overseas use, which in turn will allow more passengers to experience China's self-developed jetliner.

航空业分析师林智杰表示，C919在上海和香港之间的商业运营将为其进一步海外运营积累经验，从而让更多乘客体验中国自主研发的喷气式客机。

Lin, who is also a columnist for China's civil aviation website Carnoc.com, said the operation record of the C919 shows the aircraft performs well and is safe, adding that more efforts should be made to further enhance its operational reliability.

林智杰也是中国民航资源网（Carnoc.com）的专栏作家，他表示，C919的运营记录显示该客机性能良好且安全，并补充说应进一步努力提高其运营可靠性。

Guo Jia, a civil aviation expert and a professor at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies' South China Business College, said that existing operation data shows the stability of the aircraft and it is only a matter of time before the C919 is used for more overseas commercial flights. "The maiden flight to Hong Kong was a business decision, but it has also demonstrated the growing enthusiasm of Hong Kong's people to travel onboard a Chinese-made aircraft," Guo said.

民航专家、广东外语外贸大学南国商学院教授郭佳表示，现有的运营数据表明该客机运行稳定，C919用于更多海外商业航班只是时间问题。“首飞香港是一个商业决策，但也表明了香港民众对搭乘中国制造的飞机出行的热情日益高涨，”郭佳说。

Jia Shun, a Shanghai resident visiting Hong Kong with his wife, said on Wednesday, after checking in at the airport, that he was very excited to learn that they would board the C919 aircraft. "We are looking forward to the plane's interior design and the overall travel experience, which I believe will be exceptional," Jia said.

1月1日，上海居民贾顺与妻子一起前往香港，在机场办理登机手续后表示，他非常激动自己将搭乘C919客机。“我们很期待飞机的内饰设计和全程旅行体验，我相信这会是一次非凡的经历，”贾顺说。

Huang Jian, another passenger traveling to Hong Kong with seven members of his family, said: "I had always wanted to travel on board the C919 and my dream has come true. Taking the plane on the first day of 2025 is double happiness for our family."

另一位乘客黄建带着一家七口前往香港旅游，他表示：“我一直想搭乘C919，现在梦想成真了。在2025年的第一天搭乘这架飞机，对我们全家来说是双重喜悦。”

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