Laurence Barron, President of Airbus China, stressed recently that personnel changes in the senior administration of Airbus and its parent company would not affect the progress of general assembly line of Airbus A320 in China. At present Airbus is negotiating the details of the program with the Chinese Industrial Union headed by the Tianjin Municipal Government. It is promising the feasibility research will be finished in autumn and then construction of the factory can begin. China is the first market to become part of Airbus'global development strategy.

Laurence Barron also stated that although the Airbus A320s will be assembled in Tianjin, none of the parts are produced there. However, some parts of Airbuses are now made in China, such as ports, which are made in Chengdu, the regional capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, and Xi'an, the regional capital of northwest China's Shanxi province, and airfoils made in Xi'an.

It is estimated that of the Airbus A320s, 15 to 20 percent of the parts are now made in China. With the introduction of a general assembly line for Airbus A320s, the proportion is sure to be enlarged.

By People's Daily Online