China and Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding in Toulouse Sunday on further boosting cooperation between the Chinese civil aviation industry and the European manufacturer.

Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was present at the signing ceremony at the headquarters of Airbus, the world's largest commercial aircraft maker.

Zhang Xiaoqiang, vice minister of China's National Development and Reform Commission, and Airbus President and CEO Gustav Humbert signed the document, which sets the framework for a further upgrade of the cooperation between the two sides.

"We are very pleased to enter into discussions about possible next steps of cooperation with our Chinese industrial partners who over the years have developed real industrial competence on which we can now draw," Humbert said.

Zhang, for his part, said the document marked an important step in the industrial cooperation between China and Airbus.

Airbus' industrial cooperation with China dates back to 1985 when it signed the first agreement with Xi'an Aircraft Company to produce and assemble access doors for Airbus A300/A310 wide-body aircraft in China.

Now, five Chinese companies are involved in producing parts for Airbus aircraft. Airbus inaugurated the Airbus (Beijing) Engineering Center last July and has so far recruited 54 Chinese engineers.

Airbus has also offered the Chinese aviation industry participation in the A350 program of up to 5 percent of the airframe. Such participation will include both design and manufacturing.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2005)