According to Xinhua News Agency today, Chinese aviation companies have started to participate in work for Airbus' new A350 long-range passenger aircraft.

Approved by its shareholders, EADS and BAE Systems, Airbus has already received 140 firm order commitments from nine customers.

The A350 will be produced and assembled at the same facilities as the A330 and the A340, with additional risk-sharing partners and associates in China, Russia and other countries.

A new Engineering Center has begun to train Chinese engineers to world-class standards. The first group of engineers have finished training in Europe and started work. The number of engineers at the center is planned to increase to 50 by the end of the year, and to 200 by 2008.

Airbus said it expected the new aircraft to play a key role in developing an even closer relationship with the Chinese aviation industry.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2005)