Following Airbus launching of the new passenger long-range A350 aircraft, China formally starts to participate in its design work.

Approved by its shareholders, EADS and BAE Systems, Airbus has already received 140 firm order commitments from nine world-renowned 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 around the world.

The Airbus (Beijing) Engineering Center, which demonstrates Airbus' commitment to the long-term development of the Chinese aviation industry, will share 15 percent of design works of A350 program.

The new Engineering Center just began to help China train more engineers of world-class standards. The first group of engineers has already finished their training program in Europe and started working. The number of engineers in the center is planned to increase to 50 by the end of the year, and to 200 by 2008.

Airbus expects the new aircraft program to play a key role in developing an even closer relationship between Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry. The company hoped China to become a full risk-sharing partner in a future Airbus program for new generation aircraft.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2005)