China should improve its airworthiness standards to boost the export of civilian aircraft, national legislators have suggested.

"The current airworthiness standards of China were made based on those used [at the time] by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, but our authorities have neglected to revise and update them in a timely manner," said Yu Feng, deputy to the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

Yu, an executive of China's leading helicopter manufacturer Avicopter, said the nation's airworthiness standards don't reflect the latest developments in aviation technology or manufacturing techniques. They also exclude aircraft made by individuals and unmanned aircraft.