China and Airbus reached an agreement on a US$15 billion aircraft order along with a cooperation agreement for the A350XWB production.
The firm orders include 110 A320 family aircraft and 40 A330s, while an MOU between the airframe manufacturer and the Chinese government stipulates that Chinese industry will take a 5 per cent stake in A350 XWB production.
The MOU specifies that Airbus will manufacture 5 per cent of the A350 XWB airframe in China. This will occur through a joint venture manufacturing plant to be established in Harbin by 2009 with AVIC II subsidiary Harfei Aviation Industry Co. to produce composite material parts and components for the A350.
Airbus also has a 51 per cent stake in a JV A320 final assembly line in Tianjin, with first delivery expected in the second half of 2009. Separately China Southern Airlines also signed a contract for 10 A330-200s.