China's indigenously-developed C919 large passenger aircraft conducts cold-weather test flights in Hulunbuir, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region in January, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

China Eastern Airlines and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China signed a contract to buy C919 large passenger planes in Shanghai on March 1, finalizing the world's first official purchase contract for the domestically produced aircraft.

China Eastern Airlines will be the world's first airline to operate the C919. According to the contract, China Eastern will purchase five C919 planes in the first batch and COMAC, the plane's manufacturer, aims to deliver the first within the year.