The 2024 China Aviation Industry Conference and Nanchang Air Show kicked off on Saturday in Nanchang City, located in east China's Jiangxi Province, featuring fabulous aerobatic performances from nine teams representing four countries, including China, France, Russia, and the United States.
The three-day event at Yaohu Airport combines aerial display performances with industry exhibitions and is expected to attract over 300 aviation experts and entrepreneurs.
The Red Eagle Aerobatic Team from the Aviation University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force headlined the opening day with a display featuring K-8 jet trainers, creating colorful smoke trails across the clear skies and drawing cheers from spectators.
"This is the third time we have been invited to participate in the Nanchang Air Show. Compared to previous years, we've designed three sets of performance plans and added several large formation hovering displays to enhance the experience," said Zhang Li, a pilot with the Red Eagle Aerobatic Team.
A highlight of this year's show is the aerospace exhibition, which features models from China's space program, including the Chang'e-6 lunar probe and the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft. Visitors can examine actual rocket engine remnants and experience Mars or deep Moon travel through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulators.
Static aircraft displays and flight demonstrations will continue throughout the event, showcasing both civilian and military aviation capabilities.
2024 China Aviation Industry Conference kicks off in Nanchang
The current economic performance indicates that China's GDP is expected to grow by around five percent this year, reinforcing its role as a key engine of global economic growth, said an official of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs.
The comments came after the annual, tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference, which was held in Beijing from Dec 11 to 12, where the key economic tasks for 2025 were laid out.
The new quality productive forces have developed steadily, with significant advancements in scientific and technological innovation, particularly in areas such as integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology. The intelligent and digital transformation of traditional industries has progressed continuously, while the pace of green and low-carbon transformation has notably accelerated, the official said.
Reform and opening-up efforts have continued to deepen, with major initiatives such as raising the retirement age and establishing a unified national market advancing at an accelerated pace. The high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative has been steadily promoted, yielding positive outcomes in terms of high-level opening-up.
Risks in key areas have been mitigated in an orderly and effective manner. A series of measures have been implemented to stabilize the real estate market, resulting in consecutive year-on-year and month-on-month increases in commercial housing sales in October and November. Efforts to address local government debt have been proactive, while risks in small and medium-sized local financial institutions have been steadily alleviated through reforms. The country has made solid efforts to ensure people's wellbeing, with stable employment and the sustained consolidation of poverty alleviation achievements.
China's 2024 economic growth expected to reach about 5 pct: official
