Rolls-Royce exec says would weigh up China opportunities

PARIS (Reuters) - Britain's Rolls-Royce would consider entering the market to provide engines for Chinese aircraft makers if the opportunity arises, an executive at the aerospace engineer said on Friday.

China completed the maiden flight of its home-grown C919 passenger jet last month, entering a battle with Boeing and Airbus.

"We will consider going into the Chinese market when the opportunity arises. That opportunity has not happened yet," Eric Schulz, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, said at an aerospace conference in Paris.

The C919, made by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), relies on overseas technology from firms including General Electric, France's Safran, Honeywell International Inc and United Technologies Corp subsidiary UTC Aerospace Systems.

 

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Victoria Bryan, Cyril Altmeyer; Editing by Harro ten Wolde)