By Dai Yan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-09-17 17:37

Airbus, a leading European aircraft manufacturer, is trying to enhance business exchanges between Chinese and international aerospace companies, a commitment to the development of China's aviation industry.

Aeromart Beijing International Aviation Business Convention, sponsored by Airbus, China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) and AVIC II, opened today at the China World Trade Center. The event is held in China for the first time, and is the only official place where one to one meetings for aerospace buyers, suppliers, and subcontractors are organized in China.

"I am confident Aeromart will be a success in providing the opportunities to the Chinese aviation enterprises and those from the rest of the world to gain better understanding of the Chinese market and to develop business partnerships with each other," said Marc Bertiaux, Airbus vice president for cooperation and partnership with China, at the opening ceremony.

More than 160 overseas aviation enterprises as well as around 70 Chinese aviation manufacturers participated in the convention. As one of the sponsors, Airbus is helping to provide them with pre-programmed face-to-face meetings.

The participants will also be given the opportunity to exhibit or visit the Beijing Aviation Expo to be held from September 19 to 22, and visit industrial sites in Beijing, Tianjin, Xi'an, Shenyang, Harbin, and Chengdu.

The Airbus Day will be arranged in Tianjin on September 20 for delegations of the international aviation enterprises. The company representatives will get the chance to meet the Tianjin municipal government officials, and visit the Airbus A320 assembly plant and supplier bases at the Tianjin Binhai New Area as well as Airbus' China facilities.

The Tianjin factory is expected to start assembling the jet next summer and deliver the first A320 in the first half of 2009. Airbus plans to assembly 300 A320 aircraft in Tianjin by the beginning of 2016.

Successfully held for 12 years in Toulouse, France, Aeromart sets a platform for the aeronautical companies to have the maximum number of contacts and to develop concrete relationships with each other.