Photo: Courtesy of Airbus

Airbus said on Tuesday that it has launched the A321 fuselage system assembly work with Xi'an Aircraft International (Tianjin) Corporation (XAT), a subsidiary of AVIC Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group Co., the first time that this model has undergone fuselage system assembly in China.

The A321 aircraft is the longest member of the popular A320 series. Airbus said it is marking the further deepening of Airbus' industrial layout in China.

The move came as China and EU, the two key trading partners and two major economies — celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year.

Bilateral trade has expanded more than 320-fold over the past five decades, now at around $780 billion, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

The front and rear fuselages of the first A321 aircraft to undergo fuselage system assembly in China arrived at Tianjin Port by sea in early July and were transferred to the Tianjin plant. In the next approximately 50 working days, the Airbus team worked closely with the plant to complete a series of processes including factory inspection, isolation installation and bracket installation.

It is expected that the fuselage with system assembly will be delivered to the Airbus Tianjin A320 series aircraft final assembly line for final assembly in October this year.

Previously, the two sides have accumulated cooperation experience in the assembly of A320 fuselage systems. 

The first Airbus fuselage to be assembled in China started in June 2021. As of the end of June 2025, the XAT has delivered 104 aircraft fuselages to the Airbus Tianjin A320 series aircraft assembly line. 

During the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show, Airbus and AVIC Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group Co signed a contract on the A321 fuselage system assembly project, announcing that the scope of cooperation will be expanded from the A320 model to the A321 model.

The newly launched A321 fuselage system assembly project expands the scope of cooperation between the two sides in the field of Airbus single-aisle aircraft manufacturing, Airbus said. 

As one of the important suppliers of the A320 series aircraft, the wing project and fuselage system assembly project delivered by AVIC Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group Co to the Airbus Tianjin assembly line have become a model of localization strategy, which helps to improve the efficiency of supply chain operations. 

Since 2024, about 40 percent of the A320 series aircraft delivered by Airbus Tianjin will be A321 models.

Airbus vows to maintain its "long-termism" strategy in China as the European aircraft maker celebrates 40 years of partnership with China, a testament to the enduring and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Europe.

Many collaborations don't yield immediate results in a year or two, which require long-term strategic thinking and a far-sighted vision. This means carefully weighing both opportunities and risks, George Xu, CEO of Airbus China, said on June 25, the date in 1985 when the company delivered its first civil aircraft to China.

Currently, around 200 Chinese suppliers support Airbus' commercial aircraft production, covering the entire industrial chain from upstream raw materials to downstream fuselage equipping. All Airbus commercial aircraft models now incorporate components manufactured in China. The annual value of Airbus' industrial cooperation with the country exceeds $1 billion.

"Looking to the future in the coming 40 years, we have much confidence in our shared journey of growth with China's civil aviation sector. We will further deepen our presence in China and strengthen our role as a reliable, long-term partner," said Erik Buschmann, Airbus China Chief Operating Officer in Beijing on June 25. 


Global Times