US-China Aviation Cooperation Program expanded

The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has committed US$1.69 million to the ongoing US-China Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP) to expand the scope of the partnership between USTDA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), US industry and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Besides promoting beneficial trade and cooperation, the program will evaluate steps to expand China’s regional aviation market through the development of a framework for managing the continued growth of the Chinese aviation market. The grant agreement, signed on July 9 in Seattle, Washington, will partially fund the ACP, with matching funds provided by the US aviation industry and the CAAC to link the US and Chinese governments and aviation industries in a multi-faceted program to promote technical, policy and commercial cooperation. “With CAAC leadership, this agreement signed today ensures that our bilateral relationship will remain strong and benefit both our economies,” said USTDA acting Director Leocadia Zak at the signing. The USTDA agreement was conferred during a signing ceremony at the Boeing Co.’s Longacres Training Center in Seattle, Washington. Zak and CAAC Minister Yang Yuanyuan signed the grant agreement on behalf of the US and Chinese governments. The ceremony was attended by senior US and Chinese officials, including FAA Administrator Marion Blakey; David Wang, president of Boeing China and current ACP co-chairman; and key US aviation industry representatives. The expanded aviation program includes technical assistance provided by ACP industry members and the FAA to provide executive management development training, support continued airworthiness maintainability analysis and certification training, and develop an air traffic flow management system that will allow for greater regional air traffic and the establishment of a general aviation market. The initiative will also promote a high-level dialogue between the US and Chinese governments in aviation cooperation, as well as US commercial interests in China’s aviation sector. USTDA support for this program will be matched by approximately US$2.3 million in related contributions by ACP member companies and organizations.