8/13/2026
Today I heard the news about the Beijing–Ulaanbaatar C919 flight on August 12, 2026. It is being described as a genuine milestone for China's homegrown passenger aircraft.
The C919 entered domestic commercial service in 2023. Since then, it has expanded its operations within China and has also flown to Hong Kong. But August 12 marks another important threshold: the C919 is beginning scheduled international passenger service, with Air China operating a daily round trip between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar.
This is an important step in China's attempt to break into a market that has long been dominated by the Boeing–Airbus duopoly.
But we should keep things in perspective. The C919 flying to Mongolia does not mean that China has become a global competitor on equal footing with Boeing and Airbus. The Ulaanbaatar route is relatively short, and the aircraft is being operated by China's own national carrier. There are still enormous challenges ahead, including international certification, production at scale, global maintenance and support, and winning the confidence of airlines and passengers around the world.
In other words, this is a milestone, but it is not the finish line.
And that makes me think of what Mao Zedong said on March 5, 1949, shortly before the establishment of the People's Republic of China:
“夺取全国胜利，这只是万里长征走完了第一步。” (Duóqǔ quánguó shènglì, zhè zhǐshì Wànlǐ Chángzhēng zǒu wán le dì yī bù)
“Winning nationwide victory is only the first step in the Long March.”
At that time, China was often described as 一穷二白 (yī qióng èr bái)—economically poor and industrially and technologically underdeveloped.
The numbers help put that starting point into perspective.
In 1949:
China's population was about 542 million.
Average life expectancy was only about 35 years.
Per-capita annual national income was about 69 yuan.
Per-capita annual electricity consumption was only 7.9 kWh.
Per-capita steel production was about 0.29 kg.
Per-capita crude-oil consumption was only 0.2 kg.
China was overwhelmingly an agricultural economy. One economic-history source estimates that agriculture accounted for 68.4% of national income in 1949, while industry accounted for only 12.6%.
The phrase 一穷二白 described a country facing an enormous gap in industrialization, infrastructure, technology, capital, and living standards compared with the advanced industrialized countries of the time.
Then came a long journey.
1949 — 一穷二白
China began its postwar reconstruction from an extremely poor and underdeveloped industrial base.
1978 — Reform and Opening
China began a dramatic transformation of its economy, opening itself to foreign technology, capital, trade, and markets.
2023 — C919 enters commercial service
China begins operating its own domestically developed large passenger aircraft.
2026 — C919 begins scheduled international service
The aircraft crosses another important threshold, beginning to operate an international passenger route.
And this brings me to a phrase that has nothing to do with China, but somehow seems strangely appropriate here.
In 1968, the cigarette company Virginia Slims launched a famous advertising slogan aimed at women:
“You've come a long way, baby.”
This phrase has entered the English language as a way of describing how far someone—or something—has traveled from where it began.
Looking at China from 1949 to 2026, it's highly appropriate to say, “You've come a long way, baby.”
But there is another phrase that is just as important:
“这只是万里长征走完了第一步。”
This is only the first step in the Long March.
The two ideas actually belong together.
Recognize how far you have come. Appreciate the milestone. But don't mistake a milestone for the destination.
That is true of a country. And it is true of a person.
No matter how far the C919 has come, and no matter how remarkable the transformation from 一穷二白 to a Chinese-built large passenger aircraft may be, there is still a long road ahead.
You've come a long way, baby. But keep walking.
A reader’s comment: “还是对造不如买，买不如租论调的彻底认清和否定。终点线是领导人坐着自己的飞机走访列国。美国，德法，俄罗斯做到了。” 👍