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China Exclusive: Airbus completion facility under construction in Tianjin

Xinhua, March 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Construction begun in Tianjin on Wednesday of an Airbus facility where the company's A330 aircraft will be finished off and delivered to clients.

It is the company's first "completion and delivery center" for wide-body aircraft outside Europe. It will be responsible for cabin installation, painting and flight tests, Airbus said in a statement.

A330 aircraft will be assembled in Toulouse in France before delivery to Tianjin. The first plane is expected to arrive in the north China metropolis by the end of 2017.

Tianjin already has an assembly line for Airbus A320 models. More than 250 aircraft have been delivered in Tianjin since 2008.

China's aviation industry is booming, spurred by factors including a growing middle class and thriving outbound tourism. Insiders estimate the country will need 5,400 passenger aircraft with over 100 seats within the next 18 years.

About 24 percent of Airbus' aircraft are sold to China every year. On Monday, Air China ordered 12 A330-300 aircraft from the company.

There are presently more than 1,240 Airbus aircraft being used by Chinese airlines. The A330 is the most popular wide-body aircraft in China. Endi