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New firm welcomes foreign collaboration

By Xin Dingding (China Daily/Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-12 09:05

The president of the newly-established Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (CACC) said its guiding principle of becoming an independent, competitive civil aircraft manufacturer will not affect the company's openness to international collaboration.

"We welcome foreign suppliers, and will purchase engines and other on-board systems and facilities from them because we believe in mutual benefit," Jin Zhuanglong said in an interview on Saturday.

Earlier media reports quoted Laurence Barron, president of Airbus China, as saying that the European aircraft maker is looking for any possibility of collaboration with Chinese partners on the program.

According to Zhang, CACC had received the support of global heavyweights such as Boeing, Airbus, GE, Honeywell and Bombardier in its formative stage.

Jin Qiansheng, head of the management committee of Yanliang State High-tech Aviation Industry Base, said: "China's jumbo jet program will not pose a threat to Boeing and Airbus, at least in the coming 20 years. Even when China has the capacity to produce large jets, it would be able to meet only a small part of domestic demand. Boeing and Airbus will continue to claim a big chunk of the Chinese market."

Jin Zhuanglong said the company's most pressing task is to nurture talents in design. CACC plans to send young aircraft designers abroad for further study and training, and meanwhile, invite global experts to join the company, he said.