New standards' to boost nation's aviation exports'

Fu Mingyao, spokesman for Aviation Industry Corp of China, said airworthiness certification standards concern China's national interests. If a foreign government wants to prevent Chinese aircraft from entering its market, it can use disparities in standards to delay giving Chinese companies access.

Ma Yongsheng, an NPC deputy and chairman of AVIC Aerospace, cited his company's experience as an example.

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"A new seat developed and made by my company is very competitive in terms of technology, weight and price and has been used in our civil aircraft for many years," he said.

"However, it took a long time for the product to be certified in the US. I think there could be some non-technical factors such as trade barriers or political elements behind our wait."

Yu said: "If we have a set of indigenously produced standards and convince other nations to recognize them, then our products will enter overseas markets without being hindered."

He urged the government to accelerate negotiations on mutual recognition of airworthiness certificates with foreign authorities, which will facilitate the export of Chinese aviation products.

The deputies also urged the government to maintain its strong grip on foreign investment in the civil aviation manufacturing sector.

"Some cities are proposing to found free trade areas and loosen controls on foreign investment in the civil aircraft industry," Tang said.

"This will interrupt the central government's implementation of its roadmap for civil aircraft and enable big foreign companies to gradually monopolize our domestic market," he added. "Therefore, the government should adhere to its policies on the introduction of foreign capital in the civil aviation field."

In the guidelines on foreign investment issued in 2011, the government said it encourages foreign enterprises to invest in China's civil aircraft industry, but it insisted that Chinese companies must hold the controlling interest in any joint venture.

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