China Wins 100 Orders for First Jetliner

By Alison Leung and Tim Hepher ZHUHAI, China, Nov 16 (Reuters) - China announced a 100-plane order for its first commercial jetliner, a first step in its ambitions to challenge Airbus EAD.PA and Boeing BA.N for a slice of a global market worth $1.7 trillion. State-owned COMAC, or Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, unveiled the orders at the country's largest air show on Tuesday, ending a dearth of orders in the two years since it launched designs for the 150-seat C919. As air travel expands with a billion Chinese predicted to be flying for business and leisure early next decade, China wants to reduce its reliance on foreign planes and foster a domestic industry worthy of a country capable of putting a man in space. COMAC said the orders came from four Chinese airlines, which was no surprise given government encouragement for the project, but also the leasing arm of General Electric GE.N , which will supply the C919 engines together with France's Safran..