The Pursuit of Technological Sovereignty through the Aviation Industry

Sovereignty has emerged as a central focus of state strategy in an era of increasing globalization amidst rapidly developing critical technologies, yet the mechanisms through which rising powers pursue it in inherently global industries remain underexamined. This study argues that the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) represents a case in how rising powers pursue technological sovereignty in globally integrated industries, and that the alignment between state investment structure, supply chain strategy, and geopolitical signaling reveals an orientation towards technological sovereignty rather than purely commercial return. Through qualitative analysis of Chinese policy documents and international responses, supplemented by comparative financial analysis of Comac's C919 program against similar Boeing and Airbus aircraft at equivalent program stages, this study reveals Comac as departing fundamentally from a profit-maximizing firm, with development costs and captive buyer concentration inconsistent with a commercially driven enterprise, and demonstrates that Comac's global supply chain reflects a deliberate preference for autonomous capability over comprehensive self-sufficiency. Together, these findings support the argument that Comac functions primarily as an instrument of technological sovereignty, with commercial returns as a secondary objective. More broadly, this study suggests that technological sovereignty in complex, globally integrated industries is pursued not through autarky, but through the management of weaponizable dependencies, and provides a case of how rising powers may strategically approach sovereignty with other critical sectors.