The Chinese national aircraft manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, will announce on Tuesday that it has secured the first overseas order for its regional jet, worth about $750m, from General Electric’s leasing unit.

The announcement, which is set to be made on the opening day of the Zhuhai air show, confirms China’s commitment to the ARJ21 70-seater aircraft and its determination to challenge more established participants in the regional aircraft market, such as Bombardier of Canada and Embraer of Brazil.