Beijing, Moscow set to develop large aircraft together

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-05-21

Putin arrives in Shanghai for a two-day visit, May 20. (Photo/CNS)

While Vladimir Putin began his two-day visit to Shanghai on May 20, the Moscow-based Kommersant reported that the Russian president will offer his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a chance to jointly develop Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopters and also aid in the development of large commercial aircraft.

A Russian delegation source told Kommersant on May. 19 that China needs at least 1,000 long-range and wide-body commercial aircraft to compete with Airbus and Boeing in the future. The Moscow-based United Aircraft Corporation has put forward concept designs for such an aircraft that can meet the needs of Chinese airlines in the global market. Putin and Xi will likely discuss details during the two-day visit, the Russian paper said.

Beijing is also looking for a chance to produce the Russian-built Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopters for the People's Liberation Army. Prior to the trip, Putin announced that an agreement had already been reached between the two nations to build large commercial planes as well as a heavy helicopter. Putin believes that Beijing and Moscow are capable of designing and building competitive products for the global market, Kommersant said.

Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin meanwhile told the Moskovsky Komsomolets, a newspaper run by the Moscow Communist Youth League, that China and Russia are moving closer together in the development of aircraft. Since Russia alone is unable to compete against the United States and France in producing large commercial aircraft, Rogozin said that cooperation from China is necessary to change this situation.