A "China wind" was passing through the world aviation market ten-odd days before the Spring Festival of the Year of Yiyou on Chinese lunar calendar: China Southern Airlines and China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Corporation (CASC Group) signed with Airbus in Paris a frame agreement on the purchase of five A380s. Just on the same day, CASC Group, along with six Chinese airlines, inked another one on 60 Boeing 787 Dreamliners (i.e. 7E7) with a list price of US$7.2 billion. It is the biggest deal in China's civil aviation history both in terms of quantity and value.

The two news stories are quite thought provoking when the world aviation market is struggling for a resurgence from the blow of the "9.11" event. Boeing and Airbus are the world's only two enterprises capable of serial manufacturing of civil aircraft holding 100 seats or more. Boeing had been long taking up the No. 1 position in the industry and Airbus more like a fearless up-and-comer-- the race between the two is getting more and more fierce. Any aircraft to be manufactured is for selling at last, whatever it is. In order to sell their new planes, the two giants have been fighting so hard that they once confronted each other at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The two aircraft makers, though never agree with each other as regards the idea on civil aviation development, somehow come together in their strategies in the world market, that is they both pick out China's huge market. Airbus President & CEO Noel Forgeard, who has visited China many times, put it straightforward many times that China is a very important strategic market for Airbus.

Chinese buyers' first deal on A380 signifies a great breakthrough of Airbus' businesses in the country. Boeing, however, is willing to refer to the statistics from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) predicting that China will become the second largest market of the United States in 20 years.

Envisioning the potential of China's civil aviation industry, the two companies are competing with each other in optimism as shown in their estimations on how many aircraft Chinese airliners will buy.

The world aircraft-manufacturing giants are all discerning. The successful reform and opening-up to the outside world won China the rights to host 2008 Olympic Games, 2010 World Expo and Asian Games, which are to be held in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou respectively. Boeing and Airbus take these as valuable opportunities. Thanks to the sustained and fast development of economy and social undertakings as well as the continuous improvement of people's living standards, China's civil aviation industry has been maintaining a momentum of rapid development. World top plane makers' favor on China's market is exactly a proof that China is really developing and making progress, and its prospects are bound to be bright.

This author is also concerned over another news, that is the manufacturing of ARJ21 turban aircraft, a regional jet for which China has complete intellectual property rights, started in Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shenyang not long ago. It marks a substantial progress made in "Chinese own planes" program. It is good for Chinese to buy airplanes, for it means, with the country's development, Chinese not only are in need of planes but also are able to buy. Now Chinese start to make their own planes, which is more pleasing news, because it means we have made one step forward in airplane manufacturing, a comprehensive hi-tech-intensive industry which can spur the economic development of diversified categories.

A journey is started with the first step. As for China's development, perhaps the step we just made bears more historical significance.

By People's Daily Online