The composite material parts and components produced at the Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre Company Ltd to be set up in 2009, will be used in the Airbus A350 XWB programme and Airbus A320 family aircraft.

The Chinese partners of the JV are Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Company Limited (HAIG), Hafei Aviation Industry Company Limited (HAI), Avichina Industry & Technology Company Limited (AVICHINA) and Harbin Development Zone Heli Infrastructure Development Company Limited (HELI).

HAIG will hold a 50% stake, Airbus China will hold 20%, while HAI, AVICHINA and HELI will each hold a 10% stake. Manufacturing operations are expected to start in September 2009 and a new plant should be ready by the end of 2010.

Airbus says it is committed to forging a long-term strategic partnership with China. The total value of industrial cooperation between Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry is expected to be near US$200 million per year in 2010 and $450 million per year in 2015.