China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Cooperation (CATIC) aims to sell more Chinese-made aircraft to Egyptian and African customers, a senior official from CATIC's parent company said Thursday.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to find more partners in the Egyptian and African markets with MA60 regional turboprop aircraft," Tang Xiaoping, a senior official from AVIC I, said at a products-introducing meeting held at the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation.

"MA 60 aircraft are designed and tested with internationally-recognized standards," said Tang. "They are quite competitive to other regional commercial jets in the international market both in terms of reliability and cost-effectiveness."

During the meeting, CATIC representatives in Egypt used multi-media presentations to familiarize Egyptian civil aviation officials and business people with the products.

After the meeting, CATIC invited the guests to have a one-hour test flight with one MA60.

Late Wednesday, two MA60 aircraft, bought by an Zimbabwean airline, stopped over at the Cairo International Airport on its way to Zimbabwe. It was the first time the Chinese-made MA60 aircraft entered the international market.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2005)