Over 50 Chinese-made aircraft, which can be used for both passenger and cargo transportation, have been delivered to eight Belt and Road countries, the planes' manufacturer said today. The latest two Y-12E aircraft were delivered on April 17 to Nepal, where they will be used for domestic short distance transportation, AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG) Co Ltd said. Nepal had previously bought two Y-12Es in 2014 and 2017, respectively. The two aircraft have recorded more than 1,725 safe flight hours. The plane made a significant contribution to transporting supplies after the country suffered from an earthquake in 2015, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

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The HAIG, based in northeast China's Harbin, is a components supplier for international aviation enterprises such as Boeing and Airbus, and has independently developed a variety of aircraft, including helicopters and light regional aircraft, the report said. The high wing two-engine Y12 series aircraft is light and general purpose and can be used for both passenger and cargo transportation as well as parachute jumping and touring. The HAIG has sold Y12 series aircraft to more than 30 countries and regions around the world, including the United States and Russia. The multi-billion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), in which the controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a part, aims to build connectivity projects including ports, highways and railways all over the world.

India had protested over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).