China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) and China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) will undertake the design and manufacture of Airbus' newest aircraft, the A350, after joining the Airbus engineering center.

Negotiations between the three sides are almost complete. The shares of each party along with manufacturing and production details will be announced after the final agreement is signed in the first half of 2006, said Laurence Barron, president of Airbus China.

Airbus started its operation of the engineering center last July. China will be responsible for the five percent work shares of the A350 aircraft. So far, some 54 engineers employed in Beijing have finished training in Europe and have started working in the engineering center.

Barron said the engineering center will recruit some 80 more Chinese engineers this year. From the processing of aircraft parts to designing and manufacturing, the cooperation between Airbus and China has entered a new phase.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2006)