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CHINA BUILDING FIRST CIVILIAN JET

SHANGHAI - China has begun manufacturing its first civilian turbo jet, marking the country's latest bid to become a force in airplane production.
 
The manufacture of the ARJ21, which is expected to cost some 10% less than similar models made by overseas rivals, kicked off simultaneously at factories in Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu and Shenyang, reports the Shanghai Daily.
 
The China Aviation Industry Corp., a state-run civilian and military manufacturer, has invested $304 million in the project with government funding matching that amount.
 
Further financing will be needed and the company said that it may look to private or foreign money for investment, the paper said.

China's previous attempts to become a global player in aircraft manufacturing, with the Yun-10 commercial jetliner in the 1970s and a joint venture to build passenger jets with the California-headquartered McDonnell-Douglas Corp in the 1980s, ended in failure.
 
The company has received 35 orders for the ARJ21 so far and expects to sell about 500 over the next 20 years, with 300 going to Chinese airlines, the paper said.
 
The ARJ21 - or the "Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century"  - is to be assembled in Shanghai from parts produced around the country by 2005.

The plane is designed to seat 78-85 passengers or 98-105 in larger models.
 
A test plane will be completed by 2006, with licensing expected the following year and delivery to begin at the start of 2008, a year later than previously reported, the paper said.

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