China, Pakistan reaffirm air links ( 2003-09-10 09:24) (China Daily)
China will beef up its co-operation with Pakistan in development and sales of
military and non-military aircraft in the coming years, said President Yang
Chunshu of China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC).
Xiaolong/FC-1
(JF17), a multi-purpose light fighter aircraft, makes a successful maiden
flight at Wenjiang Airport September 3, 2003, in Chengdu, capital of
Southwest China's Sichuan Province.
[newsphoto.com.cn]
"The maiden flight of the
fighter jet, the Xiao Long or the JF17 last week, was a clear indication that
co-operation between the two countries in the aviation industry has born another
important fruit," Yang said.
The JF17 fighter jet project, which China and Pakistan jointly funded,
started in 1999 when CATIC signed a co-operative agreement with the Pakistan Air
Force, Yang said.
Since then, CATIC, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Company, Chengdu Aircraft
Designing Institute and the Pakistan Air Force have been developing the jet, he
said.
"We will continue to work closely with Pakistan in the coming years to
produce and sell the JF17 aircraft," he said.
"With efforts from both sides, we believe the JF17 fighter jet will have good
market prospects," he said.
China started its long-term co-operation with Pakistan in aircraft
manufacturing in the spring of 1979, several months after CATIC was established.
It was then that CATIC signed a contract to export fighter airplanes to
Pakistan.
Since then, airplanes such as Qiang-5 and Qian-7p have been exported to
Pakistan, Yang noted, with "Pakistan becoming China's largest trading partner in
terms of aviation."
In 1986, CATIC signed an agreement with Pakistan to jointly develop the K-8
trainer, an aircraft model designed for training missions, such as take-offs,
landings, acrobatics, night flying and spin flights, as well as armament
operations training.
In 1994, the first group of six K-8 aircraft were delivered to the Pakistan
Air Force.
Today, a number of other countries have shown strong interest in the K-8
aircraft.
CATIC, a 50-50 per cent joint venture between China Aviation Industry
Corporation I and China Aviation Industry Corporation II, is a large
transnational conglomerate integrating technology and industry with
trade.
