France keen on China's jumbo jet program

Apr. 23, 2009 (China Knowledge) - France is interested in China's jumbo jet program and could supply engines, takeoff and landing gears, and electronic devices, said Anne-Marie Idrac, French Minister of State for Foreign Trade, the People's Daily reported.

The minister said on Wednesday at an ongoing aerospace convention in Tianjin that Safran SA and Thales SA are already in active contact with potential Chinese clients, though China has not invited bidders.

The minister thinks highly of the cooperation in the aerospace industries between China and France and invited the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd (CACC), a major entity of the nation's large-jet program, to attend the Paris aerospace convention to be held in June for further business talks.

CACC last month said the research and development of the home-grown jumbo jets will integrate independent development with international cooperation, and it welcomes both multinational and Chinese companies, who have the capability, to jointly bid for the cooperation.