Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China has begun evaluating potential aircraft types, size, market outlook, customer support, certification and other parameters for the country's proposed "jumbo aircraft" program and further details are expected to be disclosed soon, AVIC I revealed. CACC Vice GM Wu Guanghui has said the manufacturer will consider starting with a "single-aisle, 150-seat aircraft ... similar to the A320 or 737".

AVIC I and AVIC II, both stakeholders in CACC, have sent around 200 experts to participate in the evaluation work, which is expected to take about six months. A report will be submitted to the CACC board and Beijing for approval. Subsequently, the company will begin to draft an aircraft design, contact suppliers to bid for parts and firm up details regarding engines, avionics and production materials. AVIC I subsidiaries Xi'an Aircraft Industry Co., Shenyang Aircraft Corp. and Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Co. and AVIC II subsidiaries Shaanxi Aircraft Industry Co. and Harbin Aircraft Industry Group have been chosen to be the five domestic producers of large commercial aircraft.

In addition to these state-owned enterprises, some privately run companies and foreign entities have shown an interest in participating. Guangdong Changsheng Aircraft Design Co. is one of them. Zhou Jisheng, the former deputy chief designer of the ARJ21 and current MD and chief designer at Changsheng, expressed hope that his company will play a significant part in the process.