TIANJIN — China Aviation Industry Helicopter Co Ltd will manufacture 10 civilian helicopters this year with the help of its newly opened plant in north China's Tianjin Municipality, according to the plant's general manager Wang Bin.

Wang said on Sept 13 that the plant's dual production lines will help the company to expand its annual production capacity to 300 helicopters by 2015.

He added that three of the company's models will perform during the first Tianjin International Helicopter Exposition, which will take place from Thursday to Sunday this week.

The exposition will be China's first professional helicopter-centric expo approved by the State Council, or China's Cabinet, according to Wang.

The exposition's organizing committee said on Sept 13 that more than 200 helicopter manufacturers and suppliers from 20 countries and regions will take part in the event. Among them are France's Eurocopter and Safran, Goodrich, Honeywell and Sikorsky of the United States, and Germany's ThyssenKrupp.