Phnom Penh – Air Cambodia, the Kingdom’s national carrier, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC) for the planned purchase of 20 China-made C909 regional aircraft, marking a new chapter in aviation cooperation between the two countries.
The agreement, announced by Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin on September 10, confirms the acquisition of 10 C909 aircraft with an additional 10 placed under letter-of-intent orders. The MoU also outlines future cooperation in aircraft acquisition, operational support, and industrial development.
“This new step in aviation cooperation between China and Cambodia is significant for both countries,” the ambassador said in his social media post.
Sinn Chanserey Vutha, spokesperson for Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), noted that the regulatory authority has not yet received official notification of the deal, emphasizing that it remains a matter for Air Cambodia as a commercial entity. However, he welcomed the development, saying it reflects the airline’s confidence in the continued growth of Cambodia’s civil aviation industry. He added that delivery of new aircraft typically requires a minimum of three years.
The C909 has been gradually expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia. Since entering regional service in April 2023, it has been adopted by Indonesia Air, Lao Airlines, and VietJet Air, operating seven aircraft across 15 routes and 18 cities, carrying more than 370,000 passengers.
This purchase follows Cambodia’s parallel negotiations with the United States for Boeing aircraft. In July, Sun Chanthol, chairman of the Cambodia-US Trade and Investment Coordination Working Group, revealed discussions around the potential acquisition of up to 20 Boeing 737-800 MAX jets.
Air Cambodia (K6) is jointly owned by the Cambodian government (30%), China’s Xing Gang Investment Group (28%), Seven Trip International (28%), and Vietnam Airlines (14%).
The C909 is China’s first domestically developed medium- and short-range turbofan regional jet designed under international civil aviation standards, with full independent intellectual property rights. It seats 78–97 passengers and offers a range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometres. The aircraft received type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in December 2014 and its production license in July 2017.
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