Global leading aircraft maker Airbus is supposed to not only sell to China, but also buy from the market, with its subcontracting value expected to reach $1 billion by 2020.

"We have established an important partnership with Chinese counterparts. The partnership is based not only on sales, but also on sourcing more from China. Our subcontracting value stemming from China will reach almost $500 million by 2015. The figure will further double to $1 billion by 2020," Thomas Enders, Airbus president and chief executive, said on the sidelines of the 2008 Summer Davos in Tianjin.

In the short term, by 2010, Airbus' subcontracting value stemming from China will be almost triple that of last year, the Airbus chief said.

The European aircraft giant has set up a final assembly line (FAL) for its successful A320 aircraft in Tianjin. The line became operational yesterday.

This will enhance Airbus' footprint in China in terms of industrial cooperation, said Laurence Barron, president of Airbus China.

Barron said the Tianjin plant would fit wing boxes made by local partner AVIC I's Xi'an facility. These are currently shipped to Europe to be fitted, with the move to Tianjin resulting in huge savings on transport costs

The Tianjin FAL is Airbus' first final assembly line outside Europe, an indication of the company's confidence in the Chinese market. Enders said that China will become a world major market, perhaps even exceeding the market size of the United States in terms of aircraft demand.

"We are here in China not to conquer (the market), but to share (experience and expertise)," Enders contended.

Airbus will expand its engineering center in Beijing, planning to recruit 250 engineers by 2009.