Wang Xia, secretary-general of the China General Aviation Committee, has been studying general aviation in the country since 2001. When discussing the challenges facing the development of private aircraft, she compares the current situation to a highway.

"Well, it's just like building a highway connecting Beijing to Guangzhou (the capital of South China's Guangdong province), but without adding an entrance or exit. There are no facilities for refueling or repair, and no services apart from the road itself. In such a scenario you don't know how to use the highway - do you dare drive on it, even if you manage to access it?" she says.

According to Wang, the major problems are that China lacks sufficient infrastructure, talent and relevant laws for private aviation.