File photo: Xinhua

China's civil aviation sector continues to welcome foreign aviation manufacturing enterprises, including Pratt & Whitney, Hu Zhenjiang, deputy administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), said on Tuesday.

Hu met Rick Deurloo, president of commercial engines for Pratt & Whitney, on Tuesday, according to the official website of the CAAC. 

Hu thanked Pratt & Whitney for its support for the safe operation of China's civil aviation. He said China's civil aviation attaches great importance to safety and has zero tolerance for safety hazards. 

Hu said he hopes that Pratt & Whitney will continue to improve its production quality management level and to strengthen training exchanges with Chinese airlines and maintenance companies.

China will continue to welcome foreign aviation manufacturers, and will jointly promote the safe and sustainable development of the global aviation industry, Hu said. 

Deurloo said the company attaches great importance to the Chinese market and has noted the rapid development of China's civil aviation industry. It has always adhered to the principle of safety first, Deurloo said, and it will strengthen cooperation in China in areas such as engine manufacturing and maintenance, professional training, and sustainable aviation fuel.

Data from the company's official WeChat account shows that currently there are more than 3,300 Pratt & Whitney engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) in China, powering more than 1,500 commercial aircraft and helicopters.

The cooperation between Pratt & Whitney and China's civil aviation industry started with product sales and services, but has since extended to procurement, manufacturing and training.

Liu Haoyu, president of Pratt & Whitney China, said the firm will actively expand in the Chinese market, deepen the localization process, and create a full value chain format from procurement, manufacturing and sales to after-sales service, according to CAAC News in June. 

China is an important aviation market for global players. A forecast by Airbus in July said that China will need over 9,440 new passenger and freight planes by 2042, and the demand will make up more than 23 percent of the world's total demand for about 40,850 new aircraft in the next 20 years.

China is involved in the manufacturing of all Boeing models currently in production, including the 767 and 787 Dreamliner. Boeing's business in China directly contributes more than $1.5 billion to the Chinese economy each year, including purchases from suppliers, revenue from joint ventures, business operations, training, and investment in R&D, the company said.

Overseas giants have been flocking to China in recent months, showing the attraction of the second-largest economy in the world.

Also on Tuesday, Jin Zhuanglong, head of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), met with Vimal Kapur, the CEO of Honeywell International Inc in Beijing, and exchanged views on issues such as energy conservation and emission reduction in the automotive industry, industrial green development, and intelligent manufacturing.

Jin said that the MIIT will comprehensively promote the high-level opening-up of the manufacturing industry, create a market-oriented, legalized, and international first-class business environment, and support foreign-funded enterprises to participate in the development of advanced manufacturing industries.

Kapur said Honeywell will deepen cooperation in China in the fields of intelligent manufacturing, energy saving and emission reduction technology, and promote sustainable industrial development, transformation and upgrading.

Global Times