Xi Jinping calls for making China an aviation powerhouse

He said that founding of the firm, which employs 96,000 employees, is a strategic move that will help enhance national power

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for stepping-up manufacturing of aircraft engines to make the country an aviation powerhouse as the Communist giant continued to depend upon foreign countries despite making advances in avionics.

China needs to accelerate research, development and manufacturing of aircraft engines and gas turbines to make China an aviation industry power, he said as the government established Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) to focus on engine manufacturing.

The founding of the firm, which employs 96,000 employees, is a strategic move that will help enhance national power as well as the capacity of the armed forces, Xi said in a written instruction, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Though China made advances in avionics, it continued to rely mostly on Russia for the aircraft engines, both for military and civilian purposes.

China also has issues in accessing American and the EU engines due to restrictions in military related supplies.

Russia supplies engines to JF-Thunder fighter aircraft being jointly developed by China and Pakistan.

The AECC received investment from the State Council, the Beijing Municipal Government, Aviation Industry Corporation of China and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, with a registered capital of 50 billion yuan (around $7.5 billion).

Premier Li Keqiang said aircraft engines are sophisticated products of the equipment manufacturing industry.

Making breakthroughs in this area as soon as possible will have great value for improving China's economic and military power and national strength, he said.