SHANGHAI, Dec. 26 -- China Eastern Airlines said on Thursday that beginning Jan. 1, 2025, the domestically-produced C919 jetliner will operate regular flights between Shanghai and Hong Kong.

It will make the company the first airline to use the C919 for scheduled commercial flights to Hong Kong.

According to China Eastern Airlines, it has placed orders for 105 C919 aircraft, the largest C919 fleet in the world. Hong Kong will become the ninth city served by the airline's C919 fleet on regular commercial routes.

The company plans to conduct daily round-trip flights following the launch of the regular route.

The C919 conducted its first commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing in May 2023, marking its official entry into the civil aviation market. The Shanghai-Beijing route became regular in January this year.

The C919 is China's first self-developed trunk jetliner in accordance with international airworthiness standards, and with independent intellectual property rights registered.

China launched the C919 project in 2007. Developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC), the first C919 aircraft rolled off the production line in Shanghai in November 2015.