China vows to bolster production of large jets

Top Chinese aviation officials last month vowed to build up production of large commercial airplanes and beef up the air force in an effort to make the industry a leading pillar of the nation's economy, according to a report in the Business Times of Singapore.

"Developing large commercial aircraft is a strategic action taken to boost the development of the national economy and to realize our mission of contributing to the nation by developing the aviation industry," said Liu Gaozhuo, president of China Aviation Industry Corporation I, in the article. "Developing large-sized aircraft could bring technology to a new stage and help to promote economic and social progress."

China has produced more than 10,000 aircraft for civilian and military use in the last 50 years and has successfully designed 10 types of fighter planes, attack bombers, helicopters and scout and training planes, said Zhang Yunchuan, minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which oversees China's aviation industry.

"There is still a long distance between our aviation industry and that of advanced countries," Zhang said in the Business Times report. "We are confident that we will make a leap in our aviation industry through our efforts."

The growth of the Chinese aerospace market hasn't been lost on commercial airplane makers such as Boeing. The 2003 Current Market Outlook from Boeing Commercial Airplanes forecasts that China will require nearly 2,400 new jet airplanes worth $197 billion over the next 20 years.