Airbus to Build New China Jet Factory as Apple Pulls Back

  • Second final assembly line to double capacity at Tianjin site
  • China bet is key part of plan to lift A320 output: CEO Faury
Apple Wants to Rely Less on China to Make Phones
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Airbus SE will double production capacity in China of its top-selling jet in a bold bet on future demand in one of the world’s biggest aviation markets.

The European planemaker will add a second final assembly line for A320 narrow-bodies at its existing factory in Tianjin, under a deal signed by Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury in Beijing on Thursday. The move is a boost for Chinese manufacturing as other firms like Apple Inc. rethink production in the nation amid rising tensions with the US.