REFORM & OPENING-UP
40YEARS
Xu Gang (Xu) also speaks with Global Times reporter Ma Jingjing (GT) about his experience in boosting a huge project starting in 2005 as well as Airbus’ operations in the Chinese market.
GT: You began cooperating with Airbus in 2005, when you were involved in the first Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line (FAL) in China. What are the main difficulties that you faced in driving the implementation of the project?
Xu: You can imagine there were lots of challenges when launching such a big project in China. It was the first Airbus FAL outside Europe. How to find and train a qualified Chinese workforce was one of the key issues. Another challenge was how to ship oversized components over long distances to China on time and with quality.
Luckily, we got strong support from our Chinese partners: the Tianjin municipal government and the China Aviation Industry Corp. When foreign companies first enter a market with a different culture and language, it’s not easy to do well without good Chinese partners.
At that time, there was doubt whether the aircraft assembled here were as good as those made in France or Germany. But the doubt has disappeared today. We’ve received very positive feedback from our customers, and the quality of the aircraft assembled in Tianjin is at least as good as those in Europe.
GT: China has announced policies for a new round of opening-up. What opportunities do you see here?
Xu: Our team, including our headquarters, is now studying these policies. As aviation is an international industry, the new policies will facilitate not only cross-border technology and investment exchange, but also a breakthrough in developing China’s aviation industry.
These policies have stimulated us to expand cooperation with Chinese companies at a higher level. Thus, we are now actively communicating with our suppliers, clients and even many emerging high-tech firms about deeper cooperation.
GT: What do you think about the development of China’s aviation industry over the past 40 years? Xu:
After years of independent R&D as well as international cooperation, China’s aviation sector has made great achievements in technology, quality and R&D. China is now the largest market of Airbus, and we have seen the biggest growth rate here. We deliver about one-fourth of our aircraft to the Chinese market every year. Looking forward, China has huge growth potential for its civil aviation market in the next decade.