TIANJIN, July 11 (Xinhua) — Airbus will further deepen cooperation with China’s supply chain to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, said George Xu, executive vice president of Airbus and CEO of Airbus China, at a recent ceremony celebrating 40 years of partnership between Airbus and China’s civil aviation industry.
After four decades of partnership, China has become Airbus’ largest single-country market for commercial aircraft, with Airbus planes now accounting for over 50 percent of the active fleet in the country’s civil aviation sector.
Moreover, Airbus’ collaboration with China has evolved beyond aircraft exports to encompass the entire product lifecycle, ranging from R&D to manufacturing, assembly, operational support and even end-of-life disassembly and recycling.
“The past 40 years of Airbus in China have represented an extraordinary success story achieved with our Chinese partners,” said Erik Buschmann, chief operating officer of Airbus China, adding that not only has China’s aviation industry flourished, but Airbus has also witnessed the rapid expansion of its fleet in the country.
Airbus has established deep roots in China, extending beyond aircraft sales by maintaining full-function teams across all business segments nationwide. “Most notably, our cooperation has evolved from pure aircraft sales to deep industrial collaboration, which gives us a competitive edge,” Xu said.
According to the CEO, Airbus has established comprehensive industrial facilities in China, including an engineering center in Beijing, a composite materials manufacturing center in Heilongjiang Province, and an aircraft Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Tianjin Municipality.
Airbus established its A320 family FAL in Tianjin in 2008, marking its first commercial aircraft assembly line outside Europe. To date, the facility has assembled over 750 A320 family aircraft for customers worldwide, becoming a flagship project of China-Europe economic and trade cooperation.
“This series of mutually beneficial collaborations has propelled the development of China’s aviation industry while significantly boosting Airbus’ market share and industrial resilience in China,” Xu said.
Currently, around 200 Chinese suppliers support Airbus’ commercial aircraft production, covering the entire industrial chain from upstream raw materials to downstream fuselage equipping. All Airbus commercial aircraft models now incorporate components manufactured in China. The annual value of Airbus’ industrial cooperation with the country exceeds 1 billion U.S. dollars.
The second A320 family FAL project in Tianjin serves as a cornerstone of Airbus’ five-year development plan and marks the next major milestone in its growth journey in China.
The project is expected to start operation in early 2026. Upon completion, Tianjin will establish a complete setup comprising two single-aisle aircraft production lines and one wide-body aircraft completion center. This will double Airbus’ A320 family FAL production capacity in China, providing strong support for the company’s global production ramp-up, according to the company.
Buschmann noted that the second A320 family FAL currently under construction also reflects Airbus’ commitment to doubling its overall industrial footprint in China. “Looking ahead to the next 40 years, we are highly confident in growing together with China’s civil aviation industry. Airbus remains dedicated to deepening its presence in the Chinese market and maintaining excellent partnerships,” Buschmann said.
Green and digital transformation will become key focus areas for bilateral supply chain collaboration.
“Europe and China share similar decarbonization commitments. Airbus is acting as a catalyst to accelerate the application of sustainable aviation fuel, while China holds multiple advantages in sustainable energy. There are significant prospects for our collaboration in markets, technology, and production capacity,” Xu said.
Earlier this year, Airbus became the first foreign aviation enterprise in China to obtain a value-added telecom license. “We see vast potential for future cooperation in building smart civil aviation and are willing to continue working with Chinese partners to forge a sustainable future for the aviation industry,” Xu added. ■
