Aircraft

China’s government is indicating it may step up work early in the next decade towards a long-standing goal of building large commercial aircraft in the country.

State-run media are reporting that the government plans to make the development of aircraft seating 150 passengers or more a priority during the next five-year plan for economic development, which begins in 2010.

Overseeing this will be the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for Defence, or COSTIND, which has responsibility for China’s defence and aerospace sectors.

COSTIND oversees the country’s state-owned aerospace manufacturing groups, China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) and China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II). AVIC I is developing a 78- to 85-seat regional jet known as the ARJ21, which is scheduled to enter service with local airlines in 2009. AVIC II is a partner with Embraer in a joint venture that produces 50-seat ERJ-145s in China.

No further details are available, but the reports follow news early in 2004 that the country’s state council, or cabinet, had ordered a feasibility study into the manufacture of commercial aircraft seating 150 or more passengers.

In the 1990s Chinese manufacturers assembled MD-90s as part of a now-defunct deal with the former McDonnell Douglas. Last month Airbus said it is undertaking a six-month study into the feasibility of establishing a final assembly line for narrowbody aircraft in China as part of the major deal signed with the country’s government for 150 aircraft.

■ Three state-owned groups have established a joint venture company to manufacture spare parts for commercial aircraft, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The venture is to be known as Chengfei Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing and the partners in it are Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group (45%), China National Aero-Technology International Holding (40% through a subsidiary) and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export (15%).

NICHOLAS IONIDES/SINGAPORE