Eurocopter, under the European Aeronautics Defense and Space Company (EADS), declared on Dec.5 it had signed an agreement with China on development of the 16-seat EC175 helicopter. Both visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his French counterpart Dominique de Villepin were present at the signing ceremony in Paris.

The agreement will also lead to collaboration between Eurocopter and Aviation Industry Corporation of China II (AVICII) on developing multi-function helicopters for the global market and producing facilities for EurocopterEC120 in Harbin in northeast China.

Airbus, also under EADS, has already won a 9.7 billion USD order from China for 150 A320 planes which is the largest order in China's aviation history.

A statement by Eurocopter says the company and AVICII will input 300 million euro (352 million USD) into the project for the EC175 project and will has its own production lines separately. The new jet will be produced in 2011 and 800 EC175 planes are expected to be sold around the world in the 20 years to follow.

For years US plane manufacturers have dominated the Chinese aviation market. But European aviation companies are becoming increasingly aggressive in expanding their presence in China.

By People's Daily Online