Airbus, China agree to boost cooperation in aerospace sector

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus on Thursday signed an agreement here with the Chinese government to boost cooperation with the Chinese aviation industry.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, both parties will support the development of engineering skills and technological innovation in China and boost the integration of Chinese suppliers into Airbus's global supply chain, Airbus said in a statement, Efe reported.

The agreement was signed by Fabrice Bregier, President of Airbus commercial aircraft, and He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the country's top economic planning body, during the visit of Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang to Berlin.

Bregier called industrial cooperation with China a "model" of a mutually beneficial technological alliance between Europe and China.

As a result of that cooperation, the Airbus A330 completion and delivery centre in Tianjin will deliver its first aircraft in September 2017 and Airbus' A320 final assembly line will begin work on the A320neo family by the end of the year, the European company added.

--IANS

ahm/dg