Search China Travel News:

The China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) plans to set up the country's first joint venture company with Embraer of Brazil to produce the new 30-50-seat turbo-fan regional airliner.

The new company would be up and running in China by the end of this year and delivery of products to the first eager customer would follow a year later, AVIC II announced recently in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

The new company will assemble an aircraft proving to be the most popular regional airliner on both domestic and foreign markets. By quickly achieving an annual production capacity of 24 aircraft, the joint venture will meet domestic demands as soon as possible and then be able to export its products.

The Chinese government made a significant decision to develop the 30-70-seat class turbo-fan regional aircraft in 2000, providing a clear direction for national aviation industry development. After careful study of markets and the technical base of the national aviation industry and analyzing successful frameworks for international regional airliner programs, AVIC II proposed a three-step plan. It comprises a joint venture for final assembly, components produced locally and the development of byproducts and new products.

The cooperative program would rapidly upgrade the manufacturing capability of China's national aviation industry to meet the urgent demands of air transport, said Xu Zhanbin, vice general manager of AVIC II. It would also help AVIC II gradually achieve its goals, from design mastery and intellectual property to hi-tech industrialization.

Aviation experts see the launch of the program as an important strategic step for China's aviation industry to develop civil aircraft, and a starting point for civil aircraft production between China and its international counterparts since its WTO entry.

Market analyses by regional jet manufacturers show of the 30-100-seat planes, the greatest demand is for 50-seaters. According to forecasts by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, the country's regional air transport is due to expand. During the period of the Tenth Five-Year Plan, China is due to purchase 110 to 140 regional planes, over 80 percent of which will be 30-60 seaters.