Leaders from China Aviation Industry announced an ambitious plan on October 31 that China will rank among the world's top four countries that can develop its own military system independently following Europe, the US and Russia by 2010.

Speaking at the 2004 China International Aviation and Aerospace Forum, Yang Yuzhong, vice-president of China Aviation Industry Corp I (CAIC I), said that China would become the world's fourth country with a completely independent military system for research and development and relatively perfect military installations. It has the capability of delivering large quantities of the third generation and its auxiliary type of fighter planes, and has developed a generation of new fighter planes. With high product quality, reliability and complete supporting services, China's military planes have established good credit, image and brand in the military aviation equipment market both at home and abroad, taking up a certain share in the international market.

Yang also noted that the sales income of CAIC I is expected to reach 100 billion yuan by 2010, which will ensure CAIC I to be among the world's top 500. The CAIC I will make its main aviation products in compliance with the world's advanced level with self-innovative ability and world's famed brands.

China has formulated the coordinative development policy in the construction of national defense and economy, and will modernize its national defense and troops on the bases of fast growing economy. This means that we should change the current situation that the total investment for national defense in China is much less than that of many developing countries, which doesn't meet the demand for the new military technological revolution in the world. Military economy needs development in a big way. Of course, we are also very clear that foreign countries also try to have a share in this market.

Founded in 1999 with a total capital of more than 100 billion yuan CAIC I is mainly engaged in the research and development, production, sales and after-sale service of military and civil planes and engines, airborne equipment, missiles, weapons fire control system and high-tech products. CAIC I successfully transformed China's military from the second generation to the third generation in recent two years.

By People's Daily Online