In the presence of visiting French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Airbus signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) on the further development of industrial cooperation in Tianjin. The agreement was signed by He Lifeng, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus COO and president Commercial Aircraft in Beijing today. Both sides agree to further enhance their industrial partnership in Tianjin and strengthen the cooperation with regards to technical innovation, engineering capabilities and supply chain expansion.

On the same day, Airbus and its Chinese partners have also signed a framework agreement on ramping-up its A320 production rate at its Final Assembly Line in Tianjin to six aircraft per month.

This industrial ramp-up targets five aircraft by early 2019 and six per month by early 2020. Since its inauguration in 2008 the Final Assembly Line in Tianjin has assembled a total of 354 A320 Family aircraft (by 31st December, 2017). Deliveries to Chinese customers and to operators throughout the Asia-Pacific region have included the first A320neo in the second half of 2017.

New top management appointed at Airbus China

Eric Chen, previously president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft China, succeeds Laurence Barron as chairman of Airbus China. Simultaneously, George Xu has been appointed CEO of Airbus China. In his role as country head of Airbus China, Xu is responsible for all Airbus Commercial Aircraft activities and for leading the company’s Helicopters and Defence and Space businesses in China.

George Xu started his career in the Tianjin Economic and Technology Development Area Administrative Committee in 1995 and was promoted to Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau of the Tianjin Free Trade Zone in 2003, and then Director of the Bureau in 2005.

In 2005, George Xu started to work on Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line programme in China jointly initiated by Airbus and its Chinese partners. In 2008, he was appointed Deputy General Manager of the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin while remaining Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau of the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Administrative Committee.

George Xu was Chairman of the Board of Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line and, in parallel, Vice President of the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Administrative Committee in 2011 till 2014.  That same year, George became Party Secretary of the Tianjin Youth League.

George Xu got a Bachelor’s degree in Information Management Systems from Tianjin University and a Master in Business Administration from Roosevelt University of Chicago. He also received a PhD in Economics from Nankai University.