China's Changzhou to Set Up Aviation Industrial Park -- CHANGZHOU, China, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CHANGZHOU, China, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on the 4E-class Changzhou Airport's position as one of Jiangsu province's top three airports, the Changzhou municipal government plans to establish an aviation industrial park at Changzhou National Hi-Tech District (CND). The park will be dedicated to the development of aviation sector-related high-end manufacturing and related modern services. The aviation industry, one of China's strategic high-tech industries, is recognized as "another trillion yuan-level pillar industry." The 17.1 square-kilometer park will position itself as a hub for aviation manufacturing and related services. It plans to set up an aviation platform, boost the integration of aviation resources and bring noticeable economic benefits to neighboring cities. The park will prioritize the top-to-bottom supply chain of the general aviation industry with a focus on aviation manufacturing and operation, retrofitting, outfitting and maintenance of big aircraft and related support facilities and services, as well as development of an air express sorting center to grow the airport into an air express leader in the Yangtze River Delta region. Changzhou is a major manufacturing hub within China. Its relatively complete industrial system boasts a strong industrial foundation in sectors including high-end equipment manufacturing, new materials and electronic information. The modern Changzhou Airport saw more than one million passengers pass through its terminal in 2012. Runways at Changzhou Airport are capable of handling wide-body aircraft including the Boeing 767 and Airbus A340. Given its ability of handling up to 4.9 million passengers and 200,000 tons of cargo annually, the well-equipped and state-of-the-art Changzhou Airport is expected to soon be reclassified as a new national Class-1 open port. The airport is on track to start accepting international passengers within the year. China has been looking at opportunities in terms of a policy where more low-altitude airspace is opened up, in response to the potential explosive growth in demand for general aviation. New United Group, which is well known for its acquisition of several foreign companies including Goderich, plans to invest 1 billion yuan (approx. US$160 million) in this park initially for the development of a manufacturing complex with facilities for aircraft final assembly, refitting and production of aircraft engines and other key aircraft components. SOURCE Changzhou National Hi-Tech District RELATED LINKS http://www.czxx.org.cn