In a Shanghai signing ceremony on July 17, 2026, Air Cambodia committed to purchasing up to twenty COMAC C909 regional jets, becoming the first foreign carrier to embrace the Chinese aircraft in meaningful volume. The agreement — backed not merely by an airline but by Cambodia's own government — speaks to something larger than a fleet renewal: it is a wager on the future shape of aviation in Southeast Asia, and on whose technology will define it. Where two small operators once flew a handful of C909s almost experimentally, Cambodia now steps forward as a genuine proving ground for China's ambi