China's homegrown MA60 civil search and rescue aircraft has successfully completed its inaugural flight, marking the formal start of its comprehensive flight test and verification phase, its developer has confirmed.
The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country's leading planemaker, announced on Thursday that the aircraft successfully completed its designated daytime validation tasks after a flight lasting one hour and 20 minutes, landing at an airport in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
This new aircraft belongs to the homegrown MA60 "Modern Ark" multipurpose aircraft family.
Challenges such as slow response times and limited search coverage capacity have long constrained China's ability to conduct maritime search and rescue operations over vast distances and in complex environments, according to AVIC experts.
The new aircraft, designed to provide search and rescue, on-site assessment and personnel transportation capabilities, is engineered to offer broad application scenarios. It is capable of executing missions over oceans, in high-altitude regions and at disaster sites, such as earthquakes and floods.
This specialized aircraft is expected to significantly enhance China's maritime search and rescue capabilities, greatly improving response speed and operational coverage, said the AVIC.
It represents a significant leap forward in terms of the nation's airborne search and rescue equipment and will further bolster China's maritime emergency response system, it added.
The development program for this aircraft was formally launched in December 2021. Its major component production and delivery were completed in December 2024, and this was followed by its final assembly and delivery in May 2025.
China's homegrown MA60 civil search, rescue aircraft completes first test flight
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
