60 People, 60 Stories

In for the long haul

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-30 08:26

I have had the privilege of being the president of Airbus China for almost six years. In those years I have witnessed first hand the rapid and constant development of China's civil aviation and it has been very impressive.

The first indication is, of course, the growth of the number of aircraft in service. In 1985, Airbus delivered its first aircraft, an A310, to China. In 1995, the first year after we established Airbus China and opened an office in Beijing, there were only 29 Airbus aircraft in operation. When I came to China to live in Beijing in early 2004, the Airbus fleet in the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao had grown to 200.

Today, some 520 Airbus aircraft are in service with airlines on the Chinese mainland - more than 2.5 times the number when I came to China. Now, Airbus aircraft make up 41 percent of the total in-service fleet of aircraft over 100 seats in China.

China now has the world's second largest Airbus fleet, after the United States. When I came to China for the first time in 2003, nobody even dreamed that we would one day deliver Airbus aircraft assembled in China to Chinese airlines.

Airbus' first final assembly line outside Europe in Tianjin, a joint venture with our Chinese partners, has delivered five aircraft since it was inaugurated last year.

We are confident that China's civil aviation has a bright future. Our belief is based on several facts: The strong will of the Chinese government and the Chinese people to develop the economy of the country and be more involved in the world economy; the fast GDP growth; the positive attitude of Chinese officials and industry executives toward innovation, as regards to both technology and new ways of doing things; and the growing need of the civil aviation industry for more advanced and cost-effective aircraft.

Airbus is in China for the long term. We are happy and proud to be part of this success story.

On the occasion of New China's 60th anniversary, we at Airbus China wish this amazing country and its fast developing aviation industry an even more prosperous future.

Laurence Barron is president, Airbus China.