One fourth of the 3,500-plus airbus airplanes now in operation around the world are equipped with parts provided by China, sources with the China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) said here Sunday.

Chinese airplane manufacturers took over contracts valued at more than 500 million US dollars from Airbus for parts production since 1985, including parts for doors, noses and wings of the airplane, AVIC I said.

Since September 2002, Airbus has beefed up its cooperation withChina's aviation industry, with subcontracts valued at 350 millionUS dollars signed between the two sides, AVIC I said.

Five Chinese companies manufacture parts for Airbus planes, including emergency doors for A320s made by the Shenyang Aircraft Industrial (Group) Company and the main parts for A320's nose by the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co. Ltd.

China began to provide parts for the manufacture of Airbus A380,the world's largest passenger plane under development, according to an agreement signed between the AVIC I and the Airbus company last June.

Airbus has declared recently to increase its purchase volume per year from China to 120 million US dollars in 2010, double the volume of 2007. Earlier, Airbus promised to increase its purchase volume of 15 million US dollars per year to 60 million US dollars in 2007 per year.

Airbus's business in China has been steadily expanding since itfirst entered the country in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has grown to more than 250 today from just 29 in 1995. A world-class training and supportcenter, which represents a 80 million US dollar investment by Airbus, is fully operational in Beijing.

Source: Xinhua