China Projected to Buy 1,800 Passenger Planes
HONG KONG (March 05) – Plane maker Airbus said on Tuesday it
expected China to buy as many as 1,790 passenger planes worth some $230 billion
over the next 20 years, reflecting strong economic growth.
China is expected to represent roughly 11 percent of world
demand of 16,600 passenger planes and freighters over the next two decades, said
the European aircraft manufacturing giant, arch rival of U.S.-based Boeing Co.
.
China snapped up 15 percent of Airbus’ plane production
last year.
“In the next five years, China and India will be the
driving force of the world economy,” said Laurent Rouaud, Airbus vice president
for market forecasts at a news conference linked to a marketing roadshow in Hong
Kong.
China’s air passenger traffic is expected to grow by 9.1
percent a year over the next 10 years, compared with 5.3 percent a year in the
20 years until 2023.