HNA Group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with COMAC (Shanghai Pudong) wherein the former will gradually introduce and operate 100 ARJ21-700s and 200 AC!C19s across its various subsidiaries.

During a press conference in Shanghai on Saturday, June 2, the two parties agreed to work together to enhance coverage of China's domestic market through the establishment of branch companies and bases, improve the country's regional aviation business model, and build a regional aviation network that covers the whole of China.

HNA Group will also help COMAC gain deeper penetration of the emerging African market through its Africa World Airlines (AW, Accra) subsidiary in Ghana, part of a larger goal of boosting their respective presences in overseas markets, particularly those covered by the “Belt and Road” initiative.

Finally, COMAC and HNA Group will also explore in-depth cooperation in the fields of aircraft maintenance, aircraft spares support and supplies, the training of specialized personnel, aircraft leasing, and the creation of a domestic aircraft service security system.

Until now, HNA Group has had limited interest in China's homegrown aircraft industry inking only a Letter of Intent (LOI) with COMAC in 2010 for fifteen C919s.