Headquarters of Airbus Helicopters division in China to open at Hengqin in September: managing director of Airbus Helicopters in China

This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. Meanwhile, during a recent visit to France, Guangdong's Governor Wang Weizhong met with Airbus executives, including Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, and Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, to explore deeper cooperation in helicopter manufacturing, civil aviation and personnel training.

Colin James, the managing director of Airbus Helicopters in China, attended the 2024 Hengqin Global Investment Promotion Conference on May 26th, in which he announced the opening of the new headquarters in Hengqin. "We are very happy, as part of that strategic cooperation, to move our headquarters to Hengqin, China. The new location is expected to open in September this year."

Mr. James told GDToday that there was significant growth potential for general aviation, particularly in the usage of helicopters, within the Greater Bay Area. He expressed enthusiasm for the strategic cooperation with Guangdong province, which aims to foster this sector's expansion. The new headquarters in Hengqin is seen as a critical step in this partnership, leveraging the business-focused environment and advantageous policies offered by the Guangdong Macao In-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin.

"Hengqin itself is a very business-focused cooperation zone, offering many advantages for trading in China," the managing director said. "We look forward to moving to Hengqin, joining a community of both Chinese and Western companies to develop the local economy and that of the Greater Bay Area."

Mr. James emphasized the importance of stability that Hengqin offers. "Airbus, like many other companies, is always looking to have a very stable environment in terms of tariffs, taxation and the development potential for the employees. So the Hengqin cooperation zone, with its excellent policies for businesses and employees, is a very good place for us to be residents."

Looking ahead, Mr. James sees immense potential for the general aviation industry in China. Historically, this sector has lagged behind commercial aviation, but with new policies promoting the low-altitude economy, the helicopter market could experience exponential growth over the next few decades. He added that the proximity of Hengqin to Macao and other key cities in the Greater Bay Area further enhances the strategic value of this move.

(cnbayarea.org.cn & GDToday)