Airbus To Build Composite Parts With Chinese Partner

摘要

Airbus plans to set up a joint venture company with a Chinese partner to make composite material components for the A350 aircraft, in a move to increase its share of China's booming aviation market. The Chinese partner will be state-owned aircraft manufacturer China Aviation Industry Corp II (AVICII). Airbus China president Laurence Barron said details of the proposed joint venture will be finalised in August. The A350 will be a wide-bodied twin-aisle aircraft. It will have three models - 800,900 and 1000 - and will go into commercial service in 2013. Airbus has committed to having 5 per cent of the design and manufacture of the A350 carried out in China. The European firm currently holds 38 per cent market share in China, up from 7 per cent in 1995, and is targeting 50 per cent by 2011. It has 411 aircraft in operation with 18 airlines, and another 478 planes on order from Chinese carriers.