Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Chinesepod - China to add foreign capital to aircraft program

BIZCHINA / Center

China to add foreign capital to aircraft program

By Chen Liying (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-29 15:05

China is likely to introduce foreign investors as risk sharing partners
to its new project company for the country's large aircraft program, a
senior industry official said in Shanghai yesterday.

"The country is considering to introduce foreign capital to the new
project company," said Fu Shula, president of China National
Aero-Technology Import & Export Corp, a unit co-owned by China Aviation
Industry Corp I, or AVIC I, and AVIC II, the nation's two state-owned
aircraft makers.

He said it's a global trend in the aircraft manufacturing industry to
invite foreign partners to invest and co-develop the products and share
the market risks.

"It's a probable option for China to adopt the mode in the development of
its own big aircraft," he said.

Fu made the remarks after a ceremony marking the delivery of Boeing Co's
1,000th Next-Generation 737 horizontal stabilizers from Shanghai Aircraft
Manufacturing Factory, also a unit of AVIC I.

A Boeing official said today that the US aircraft maker has no plan so
far to participate in China's large aircraft program.

"Boeing welcomes competition," said Carolyn Corvi, vice president and
general manager of Airplane Programs, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "It's
a good thing not only for us, but for our suppliers and airline
customers."

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)

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