China’s first domestically produced passenger jet took off on its maiden commercial flight on Sunday, a milestone event in the nation’s decades-long effort to compete with western rivals in the air.周日，中国首架国产客机C919进行了首次商业载客飞行，标准着中国与西方数十年的空中竞争的取得里程碑式进展。Beijing hopes the C919 commercial jetliner will challenge foreign models like the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320, though many of its parts are sourced from abroad.尽管C919商用客机的许多部件来自国外，但中国依旧希望C919能够挑战波音 737 MAX 和空客 A320 等外国机型。Its first homegrown jetliner with mass commercial potential would also cut the country’s reliance on foreign technology as ties with the West deteriorate.“In the future, most passengers will be able to choose to travel by large, domestically produced aircraft,” state broadcaster CCTV said.近年来，中西方关系不断触礁，在此背景下，C919将使中国减少对外国技术的依赖。“未来，大多数乘客将能够选择乘坐大型国产机出行，”中央电视台表示。
China Eastern Airlines flight MU9191 rose into the skies above Shanghai Hongqiao Airport on Sunday morning, footage from CCTV showed. The plane is carried over 130 passengers, the broadcaster said.据央视的画面显示，中国东方航空公司 MU9191 航班周日早上在上海虹桥机场上空升起。该广播公司称，这架飞机载有130多名乘客。Passengers received red boarding passes and enjoyed a sumptuous “themed meal” to commemorate the flight, CCTV reported.据中央电视台报道，C919的首飞登机牌为红色，机上配有丰盛的“主题餐”以纪念该机型的首飞。China has invested heavily in the production of the homegrown jet as it seeks to become self-sufficient in key technologies. The aircraft is manufactured by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), but many of its parts – including its engines – are sourced from overseas.为实现关键技术的自给自足，中国在国产喷气式飞机的生产上投入了大量资金。C919由国有的中国商用飞机有限责任公司（COMAC）制造，但其许多部件（包括发动机）均来自国外。From Monday, the C919 will operate on China Eastern’s regular route between Shanghai and the south-western city of Chengdu, CCTV reported.据央视报道，从周一开始，东航首架c919大型客机将在上海虹桥—成都天府航线上实行常态化商业运行。
The first model of the narrow-body jet, which seats 164 passengers, was formally handed over to China Eastern last year during a ceremony at an airport in Shanghai, hailed by state media as “an important milestone” for the country’s aircraft industry.这架可容纳164 名乘客的首架窄体喷气式飞机于去年在上海机场举行的仪式上正式移交给东航，被官方媒体誉为中国航空工业的“一个重要里程碑”。Zhang Yujin, COMAC’s deputy general manager, told state-backed Shanghai outlet The Paper in January that the company had taken about 1,200 orders for the C919. COMAC planned to increase annual production capacity to 150 models within five years, Zhang said at the time.中国商飞公司副总经理张玉金在1月份向澎湃新闻透露，该公司已获得约1,200架C919订单。张玉金当时表示，中国商飞计划预计C919在5年内年产能规划将达到150架。
Asia – and China in particular – are key targets for both Airbus and its American rival Boeing, which are looking to capitalise on growing demand for air travel from the country’s vast middle class.亚洲，尤其是中国，是空中客车公司及其美国竞争对手波音公司的主要目标，它们希望利用该国庞大的中产阶级对航空旅行不断增长的需求。Last month, Airbus said it would double its production capacity in China, signing a deal to build a second final assembly line for the A320 in Tianjin.上个月，空中客车公司表示将把在中国的产能提高一倍，并签署协议在天津建设第二条A320总装线。The first assembly site in the northern city opened in 2008 and produces four A320s a month, with Airbus hoping to increase that to six a month before the end of the year.天津的第一个装配厂于 2008 年启用，每月生产四架 A320，空中客车公司希望在年底前将产量增加到每月六架。
- commercial jetliner：商用喷气飞机
编辑：ETTBL考办
翻译：Gleen
