China's civil aviation authorities gave the greenlight of Production Certificate (PC) to homegrown EH216-S passenger-carrying unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on Sunday, helping it become the world's first certified electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and marking a closer step towards entry into commercial operation of the model.
The EH216-S, developed and produced by Guangzhou-based Ehang, the world's leading urban air mobility technology platform company, had obtained the standard Type Certificate (TC) and Airworthiness Certificate (AC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) last year. The new Production Certificate granting means the EH216-S is qualified for mass production.
China has stepped up endeavors to push for the low-altitude economy as Premier Li Qiang called for stronger efforts to conduct research and development of new technologies and products and better tap the economic potential of the low-altitude airspace, thanks to broad prospects in the drone industry.
Li, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the statement at a drone production company during an inspection tour in northwest China's Shaanxi Province in late January.
China's EH216-S becomes world's frist certified eVTOL aircraft
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides pledging to promote the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
Noting that China and Vietnam are comrades in the socialist cause and good partners on the path of reform, Han said General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam have made strategic plans for advancing the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, providing clear direction for the development of bilateral relations.
Noting that next year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Han said the two sides should follow the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, maintain strategic communication, expand practical cooperation, consolidate the foundation of public opinion, strengthen multilateral coordination and promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, bringing more benefits to the two peoples.
Bui Thanh Son said that developing long-term friendly relations with China is the consistent proposition, objective requirement, strategic choice and top priority of Vietnam's diplomacy.
Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation with China, and jointly promote the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future with strategic significance, he added.
Chinese, Vietnamese officials pledge to promote China-Vietnam community with shared future
