STORY: Airbus final assembly line in N China witnesses robust aviation cooperation
SHOOTING DATE: Jan.11, 12, 22/Feb. 27, 2024
DATELINE: March 16, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:09
LOCATION: TIANJIN, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Airbus Final Assembly Line Asia
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JUAN TUBIO, General Manager, Airbus Final Assembly Line Asia
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): GEORGE XU, CEO, Airbus China 
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): COLIN JAMES, Managing Director, Airbus Helicopters China

STORYLINE:

With the completion of the layout of new plants and the advancement of power system construction, the preparation work for the second line of the Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line Asia (FALA) in north China's Tianjin is in full swing.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JUAN TUBIO, General Manager, Airbus Final Assembly Line Asia 
"A very stable regulatory environment around us, the Tianjin Free Trade Zone umbrella that is helping us to work in a very close collaboration and discussion with the Tianjin Port and the Tianjin Customs. We are now building the second assembly line that will be entering into service in late 2025, and in theory, doubling our capacity in Tianjin."

Airbus' first final assembly line outside the borders of its four founding European countries was opened in Tianjin in 2008.

The assembly line has been continuously upgraded and has accelerated localization development.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): GEORGE XU, Airbus China CEO
"In the past, we had to ship all the big parts from Europe, which took 60 days. (Later,) we worked with a Chinese partner, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), to produce the parts locally and deliver them "door to door" to our Tianjin final assembly line. The locally made parts are comparable to those made in Europe in terms of both quality and costs."

The cooperation between Airbus and Chinese companies covers the entire industrial chain, from procurement, production and installation of large components to aircraft final assembly and delivery.

Currently, Airbus has about 200 suppliers in China, and components produced by Chinese companies are found on all Airbus commercial jetliner types.

Airbus Helicopters has also been seeking deeper cooperation with Chinese companies. Currently, there are more than 300 Airbus helicopters flying in China, serving about 100 Chinese customers.

The company has seen great potential in the Chinese aviation market.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): COLIN JAMES, Managing Director, Airbus Helicopters China
"Today, there is a huge potential for growth. 500 percent of what it is today in the coming decades. And we really, let's say, that gives a lot of opportunity for investment from ourselves with Chinese partners for developing the market."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tianjin, China.
(XHTV)