Global aviation giants hope Beijing business is unscathed by China-EU trade rows

Rising trade tensions trigger concern about potential retaliatory measures from Beijing, including against the aviation sector

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Airbus said it hoped its business in China would not be affected. Photo: Seong Hyeon Choi

Published: 4:00pm, 18 Jun 2024Updated: 11:40pm, 18 Jun 2024

Trade tensions between China and the European Union have intensified, but leading European aviation and drone manufacturers hope their impact on bilateral aviation trade and cooperation will be limited.

During Eurosatory, one of Europe’s largest defence exhibitions in Paris, Emmanuel Huberdeau, spokesman for Airbus Helicopter, said it was hoped his company’s business in the Asia-Pacific, including China, would not be significantly affected by the tensions.

“Airbus Helicopters and Airbus as a company work a lot with China … On the civil side, we have very good cooperation with China,” Huberdeau said while showcasing the company’s latest multi-mission VSR700 naval unmanned aerial system (UAS) helicopter at Eurosatory.

“We’ve been developing helicopters with the Chinese authorities. We sold a lot of helicopters in China. So I don’t think this will be linked [to the trade tensions].”

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China’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Paris last month, pledging to deepen cooperation in aviation and relevant emerging sectors.