AIDC Plans to Attend China's Civil-Aircraft Manufacturing Project

Taipei, Nov. 30, 2009 (CENS)--State-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC), the IDF (indigenous defense fighter) maker, plans to take part in China's "big aircraft" project, aimed to produce 919-type civil aircraft, which, if approved by the Executive Yuan (the Cabinet), will enable it, along with its 55 supporting firms, to tap the huge pie of China's civil-aircraft manufacturing market.

AIDC has received an invitation from the Chinese authorities to take part in the "big aircraft" project, China's plan to develop indigenous large passenger aircraft, capitalizing on China's booming air transportation market. China has invited major component suppliers in Taiwan and Hong Kong to attend the project, after first selecting nine Chinese components suppliers for the project in May. Even major international aircraft makers, including Boeing, GE, and Airbus, are scrambling to be part of the project.

AIDC intends to undertake the structural design of the projected aircraft and will farm out the production to its supporting companies, including Ye I Machinery Factor, Formosa Heavy Industries Corp., Air Asia, Tong Lung Metal, Evergreen Aviation Technology, and Chaheng Precision. AIDC has experience taking part in aircraft manufacturing of major international aircraft manufacturers.

The AIDC plan, however, is clouded by a recent resolution of the economic committee of the Legislative Yuan asking ADIC to shelve the cooperation with China for aircraft manufacturing before the signing of cross-Strait peace agreement.