MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – Investment in a new joint Russian-Chinese project to build a wide-body long-range passenger airliner is expected to reach $10 billion, a source close to the negotiations told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
“The preliminary project baselines will be sent to the economics ministries of both countries this summer. The most likely project fulfillment scenario is as part of a joint venture, where Russia and China will have shares divided on a parity basis,” the source said, adding that the project is still at an early stage.
The sides are to agree on whether the assembly plant should be located either in China or in Russia. The parties have already signed an agreement on protecting intellectual property rights, the source said.
The new project will be one of the largest international collaborations in the aircraft industry, as well as in the hi-tech fields of both countries. The new plane is expected to eventually occupy a significant share of the international market.
A Russian delegation led by President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Tuesday for an official visit that was expected to result in the signing of a large number of documents, including bilateral, intergovernmental, inter-departmental and corporate agreements.
