The Chinese airline industry is hoping to sign some profitable deals at Tuesday's 7th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition.

Jin Zhuanglong, general manager of the newly-founded Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), said on Monday that he wished to sell short-haul passenger planes, ARJ21, to overseas clients at the forthcoming air show.

"One of our goals is to serialize and mass produce ARJ21 products for further growth," said Jin. "We will do our best to expand business overseas, break into the international market for the first time and occupy a certain proportion of the global market share as early as possible."

Li Yuhai, deputy general manager of China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC), also expressed his conglomerate's determination to explore overseas markets and turn China-made planes into brand names.

AVIC was reorganized in October. The country's two aviation industry conglomerates, AVIC-I (China Aviation Industry Corporation I) and AVIC-II (China Aviation Industry Corporation II) were merged in an effort to make a bigger impact internationally.

Miao Wei, vice minister of Industry and Information Technology, said on Monday that the Chinese government encourages development of export-oriented aviation products of civilian use either independently or through cooperative manner.

"The government will also encourage efforts designed to enlarge the size of production of civilian aviation components via subcontracts," said Miao.

The 7th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, will take place in Zhuhai, a port city in the Guangdong Province. It runs from Tuesday to Sunday. It is the largest air show of the kind, according to Zhou Lewei, deputy secretary-general for the Organizing Committee for Airshow China.

Some 600 business people from 35 countries and regions are expected to attend. Aviation giants Boeing of the United States, Airbus of France, Bombardier of Canada, and Embraer of Brazil included. More than 60 aircraft will be exhibited including China-made Jian10 strike fighter plane and Airbus 380.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2008)