Aviation Industry Corporation of China explained

Aviation Industry Corporation of China should not be confused with Airspace Industry Corporation of China.

Aviation Industry Corporation of China
Native Name:Chinese: 中国航空工业集团公司
Type:State owned
Predecessor:China Aviation Industry Corporation I
China Aviation Industry Corporation II
Location City:Chaoyang District, Beijing
Location Country:China
Area Served:Worldwide
Key People:Tan Ruisong (Chairman and CEO)[1]
Products:Civil and military aircraft
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Trucks
Automobile parts
Electronics
Robots
Ships
Revenue: US$66.96 billion (2021)
Operating Income: CN¥370.6 billion (2016)
Net Income: US$915.7 million (2021)
Assets: US$161.2 billion (2021)
Num Employees:407,344 (2021)
Aviation Industry Corporation of China
S:中国航空工业集团公司
T:中國航空工業集團公司
P:Zhōngguó Hángkōng Gōngyè Jítuán Gōngsī
Order:st
Also Known As:Abbreviation
S2:航空工业
T2:航空工業
P2:Zhōngháng Gōngyè

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Beijing. AVIC is overseen by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. It is ranked 140th in the Fortune Global 500 list as of 2021, and has over 100 subsidiaries, 27 listed companies and 500,000 employees across the globe.[2] AVIC is also the sixth largest defense contractor globally as of 2022 and second largest Chinese defense contractor with total revenue of $79 billion (from both defense and non-defense services.)[3]

History

Since being established on 1 April 1951 as the Aviation Industry Administration Commission,[4] the aviation industry of the People's Republic of China has been through 12 systemic reforms.

AVIC purchased American aircraft engine manufacturer Continental Motors, Inc. in 2010, aircraft manufacturer Cirrus in 2011, and specialized parts supplier Align Aerospace in 2015.[5] In 2015, AVIC and BHR Partners acquired U.S. automotive supplier Henniges, through a joint venture structure.[6]

In 2016, Aero Engine Corporation of China was formed, capitalized with US$7.5 billion by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) in order to consolidate aero-engine and related technologies.

PeriodOrganization name
Apr 1951 – Aug 1952Aviation Industry Bureau, Ministry of Heavy Industry
Aug 1952 – Feb 19584th Bureau, No.2 Mechanical Industry Department
Feb 1958 – Sept 19604th Bureau, No.1 Mechanical Industry Department
Sept 1960 – Sept 19634th Bureau, No.3 Mechanical Industry Department
Sept 1963 – Apr 1982No.3 Mechanical Industry Department
Apr 1982 – Apr 1988Ministry of Aviation Industry
Apr 1988 – Jun 1993Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Industry
Jun 1993 – Jun 1999China Aviation Industry Corporation (Chinese: 中国航空工业总公司)
Jul 1999 – May 2008China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I), China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II)
May 2008 – Nov 2008China Aviation Industry Corporation I, China Aviation Industry Corporation II,
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC)
Nov 2008 – PresentAviation Industry Corporation of China, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China

Split and re-merger

China Aviation Industry Corporation was split into two separate entities, China Aviation Industry Corporation I and China Aviation Industry Corporation II in 1999. Both retained civilian and military aircraft production capabilities, along with a number of unrelated business ventures. The split was intended to foster competitiveness in the Chinese aerospace industry.[7]

In 2008, AVIC I and AVIC II officially merged back together. The previous separation resulted in split resources and led to redundant projects. The goal of the merger was to eliminate this redundancy and spin off pursuits unrelated to aerospace, such as motorcycle and automobile parts manufacturing.[8]

Espionage allegations

In April 2009, The Wall Street Journal reported that computer spies, allegedly Chinese, "had penetrated the database of the Joint Strike Fighter program and acquired terabytes of secret information about the fighter, possibly compromising its future effectiveness."[9] AVIC allegedly "incorporated the stolen know-how into China's Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang FC-31 fighters."[10] [11] [12]

U.S. sanctions

In November 2020, Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting any American company or individual from owning shares in companies that the United States Department of Defense has listed as having links to the People's Liberation Army, which included AVIC.[13] [14] [15] [16]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

In February 2023, the Center for Advanced Defense Studies reported that customs data showed that AVIC shipped parts for Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to a subsidiary of sanctioned Russian defense company Rostec following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[17]

Products

Airliner

List of airliners of AVIC
AircraftTypeDescriptionDeveloperSeatsNumber BuiltMaiden FlightIntroductionProduction CeasedRetired
Xian MA60Turboprop AirlinerTurboprop Regional airlinerXi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation62110+(330 on order)[18] 25 February 2000
Xian MA600Turboprop AirlinerTurboprop Regional airlinerXi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation6018+(310 on order)10 October 2008
Xian MA700Turboprop AirlinerTurboprop Regional airlinerXi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation68-86-planned November 2019
CBJ800Jet airlinerBusiness jetChengdu Aircraft Industry Group9-12-planned 2016

Civilian airship

Fighter aircraft

(*) indicates under development

Fighter bomber aircraft

Trainer aircraft

Transport aircraft

Bomber aircraft

AEW&C aircraft

Helicopter

Unmanned aerial vehicle

Electronic-warfare aircraft

Maritime-patrol aircraft

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leadership - AVIC. Aviation Industry Corporation of China. 2018-05-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20191109083959/http://www.avic.com/en/aboutus/Leadership/index.shtml. 2019-11-09. dead.
  2. News: China's NORINCO, AVIC Among Top 10 Defense Companies Worldwide; SIPRI . www.defenseworld.net . 2018-06-11 . 2018-06-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140246/http://www.defenseworld.net/news/14870/China___s_NORINCO__AVIC_Among_Top_10_Defense_Companies_Worldwide__SIPRI#.Wx33YoozaM8 . live .
  3. Web site: 15 Largest Defense Contractors in the World in 2022. 2023-12-17. Insider Monkey/Yahoo Finance. 15 June 2023. en-US. 2024-04-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20240415192333/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-16-defense-contractors-world-211234990.html. live.
  4. News: October 12, 2020. China's Boeing Wannabe Could Land in U.S. Government Crosshairs. Bloomberg News. October 18, 2020. November 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231118102451/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-10-12/china-aerospace-firm-avic-raises-us-alarm-over-ties-to-ge-airbus. live.
  5. AVIC International buys PE-backed Align . PE Hub Network . March 31, 2015 . June 2, 2018 . March 16, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160316125656/https://www.pehub.com/2015/03/avic-international-buys-pe-backed-align/ . live .
  6. 2015-11-01. Henniges is acquired by China's AVIC Auto. Sealing Technology. en. 2015. 11. 4–5. 10.1016/S1350-4789(15)30341-X. 1350-4789.
  7. Book: Nolan . Peter . China and the Global Economy: National Champions, Industrial Policy, and the Big Business Revolution . 2001 . Palgrave . New York . 0333945654 . 30.
  8. News: Lu . Haoting . Xu . Dashan . AVIC I & II closer to merger . 24 March 2020 . China Daily . 18 June 2008 . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006131425/https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-06/18/content_6772893.htm . live .
  9. News: Computer Spies Breach Fighter-Jet Project Article . . . April 21, 2009 . September 25, 2019 . September 17, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200917202654/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124027491029837401 . live .
  10. News: Stolen F-35 secrets now showing up in China's stealth fighter . Fox News . 20 December 2015 . 25 September 2019 . 25 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190925080246/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/stolen-f-35-secrets-now-showing-up-in-chinas-stealth-fighter . live .
  11. News: New Snowden Documents Reveal Chinese Behind F-35 Hack . The Diplomat . 27 January 2015 . 25 September 2019 . 25 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190925080247/https://thediplomat.com/2015/01/new-snowden-documents-reveal-chinese-behind-f-35-hack/ . live .
  12. News: America says China's fifth-generation jet fighter J-31 stolen from its F-35 . The Economic Times . 13 November 2015 . 25 September 2019 . 26 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190926195616/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/america-says-chinas-fifth-generation-jet-fighter-j-31-stolen-from-its-f-35/articleshow/49762382.cms . live .
  13. News: 2020-11-13. Factbox: List of 31 Chinese companies designated by the U.S. as military-backed. en. Reuters. https://web.archive.org/web/20201113065322/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-china-securities-companies-factbo-idUSKBN27T09E. dead. November 13, 2020. 2020-11-18.
  14. News: Chen. Shawna. November 12, 2020. Trump bans Americans from investing in 31 companies with links to Chinese military. Axios. November 12, 2020. October 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028203620/https://www.axios.com/china-military-trump-investments-ban-a0458e29-2245-4bde-920b-d1c6bc698370.html. live.
  15. News: Pamuk. Humeyra. Alper. Alexandra. Ali. Idrees. 2020-11-12. Trump bans U.S. investments in firms linked to Chinese military. en. Reuters. 2020-11-12. 2021-10-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028175811/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-securities-exclusive-idUSKBN27S2X3. live.
  16. News: Swanson. Ana. 2020-11-12. Trump Bars Investment in Chinese Firms With Military Ties. en-US. The New York Times. 2020-11-13. 0362-4331. 2020-11-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20201113000328/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/business/economy/trump-china-investment-ban.html. live.
  17. News: 4 February 2023 . China Aids Russia's War in Ukraine, Trade Data Shows . en-US . . 2023-02-04 . 2023-03-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230312142710/https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-aids-russias-war-in-ukraine-trade-data-shows-11675466360 . live .
  18. Web site: 2014-03-11 . Domestic-Made Regional Jet ARJ21 to Be Delivered in 2014 . 2022-12-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311020758/http://www.wcarn.com/cache/news/24/24682.html . 2014-03-11 .