BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese state-owned plane maker COMAC aims for its C919 jet to start flying on commercial routes to Southeast Asia by 2026 as a first step to moving beyond its domestic market, a senior company official told Chinese media.

COMAC, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, also aims for European certification for the C919 as early as this year, Yang Yang, deputy general manager of the company's marketing centre, told Shanghai government-affiliated news site Jiemian in a recent interview.

China Eastern Airlines, the inaugural operator of the C919, incorporated Hong Kong into its C919 route network from Jan. 1, making the financial hub the first destination for the aircraft outside of mainland China. Yang did not say whether COMAC was in talks with any airlines about flights to Southeast Asia or other overseas markets.

The C919 is also currently flown by Air China and China Southern Airlines.

Positioned as a competitor to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, the C919 currently only flies in China and needs to acquire international airworthiness certificates to enter the global market.

"We hope to increase the operational deployment of C919 aircraft within China, to thoroughly identify any potential issues before expanding to Southeast Asia," Yang said.

COMAC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Shanghai-based COMAC is keen to penetrate the Southeast Asian market before making a move on Western markets, at a time when industry giants Boeing and Airbus are grappling with challenges such as supply chain and labour issues.

In 2024, COMAC delivered a total of 12 C919 aircraft to three state-owned airlines. The company said in 2023 that it expects annual production capacity of C919 to reach 150 in five years.