Russia, China to Sign Joint Helicopter Development Deal by 2016

Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that Russia and China are planning to sign an intergovernmental agreement on a joint project of development of a heavy-lift civilian helicopter by the end of 2015.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia and China are planning to sign an intergovernmental agreement on a joint project of development of a heavy-lift civilian helicopter by the end of 2015, Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade said in a statement Friday.

Chinese Vice Minister of Industry and Information Xu Dazhe met with Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov on Friday to discuss issues of bilateral industrial cooperation.

There is already a common understanding on the key areas of cooperation under the project, Manturov said, as cited by the statement.

The Russian minister also noted that another joint project, on development of a wide-body long-haul aircraft, is being actively promoted.

China is one of the key Russian partners in various fields, including energy sector, as well as economic and military-technical areas.

Both countries are founding members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) economic and security bloc and the BRICS club of emerging economies, which also includes Brazil, India and South Africa.