European aircraft manufacturer Airbus launched its second final assembly line for the A320 family aircraft in Tianjin on Wednesday, and preparations to assemble the first aircraft are underway. Full operation of the facility is targeted for early 2026.

The facility is expected to help Airbus double its production capacity for the A320 family aircraft in Tianjin, and will deliver aircraft to both domestic and international carriers.

"The second line is reinforcing our presence in the Chinese market. It provides us with the necessary flexibility and capacity to deliver on our plan to assemble 75 A320 family aircraft per month in 2027," said Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.

"Over the past 40 years of our presence here in the country, we have come a long way in establishing trustful partnerships with the Chinese civil aviation community. We are committed to China, especially in this context of de-globalization, and Airbus will continue to invest in China," Faury said.

Inaugurated in 2008, the first A320 final assembly line in Tianjin was the first Airbus production line for commercial aircraft outside of Europe. It has assembled and delivered over 780 A320 family aircraft since then, making the facility a symbol of successful Sino-European cooperation, Airbus said.

The new line has complemented Airbus' global production network. Now, it has 10 final assembly lines of A320 family aircraft, with four in Hamburg, Germany; two in Toulouse, France; two in Mobile, Alabama, the United States; and two in Tianjin.

In addition, the facility takes advantage of electricity from renewable sources, reclaimed water and geothermal energy to support the company's sustainability roadmap, reducing its environmental footprint.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn