VietNamNet Bridge - Boeing has set up a factory in to assemble aircraft in China, which is expected to bring opportunities to Vietnam.

International press have reported that China will spend $38 billion on a huge contract to buy 300 Boeings – one of the aircraft manufacturer’s largest affairs in recent times. 

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has also signed an agreement with Boeing on setting up a Boeing 737 aircraft assembling center in China. This will be Boeing’s first center of its kind outside US territory.

Nguyen Duc Cuong, chair of the Vietnam Aviation & Universe Association, believes that that China showed foresight by deciding to buy many Boeing 737s, one of Boeing’s best commercial models.

Nguyen Thien Tong from the HCM City University of Technology said current economic difficulties in China would not affect its decision to buy Boeings.

Tong believes that the establishment of a Boeing 737 center in China would ‘benefit both sides’. Boeing would be able to save transport costs and China would reap economic benefits.

Tong believes that the US aircraft manufacturer would ensure that its technology know-how would be protected from Chinese copycats.

The agreement between Chinese Comac and Boeing could be good news for Vietnamese businesses as well.

Vietnam can make passenger aircraft flaps and single aisles for the next-generation Boeing 737.

“As Vietnam can make components for Boeing, the US manufacturer would assign jobs to Vietnamese to fulfill the orders placed by China,” Tong said.

He said that some aircraft manufacturers in the US, Japan and Europe had also set up factories in Asia, and that Vietnam needs to develop its supporting industries to jiong their high-tech production chain.

“If foreign investors can find benefits in Vietnam, they will invest in the country and help Vietnam develop advanced technology,” he said.

Cuong also said that it would be good for Vietnam if it can take part in the aircraft assembling to be implemented in China. This would help create jobs and, more importantly, help Vietnamese approach modern technologies.

But he said that an aviation support industry in Vietnam was still a long way off. 

Vietnam has joined the global production chains of world’s most reputable aircraft manufacturers – Boeing and Airbus – by providing low-value parts and accessories.

MHI Aerospace Vietnam, a factory of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) located in the Thang Long Industrial Zone in Hanoi, assembles passenger doors for Boeing 777 model and provides flaps for the Boeing 737.

Dat Viet