Deutsche Lufthansa says it expects its huge aircraft engineering centre near Beijing - the largest facility in Asia - to be successful despite increasing competition in maintenance in China and the rest of the region.
Chief executive of Lufthansa's passenger division, Hemjoe Klein, said the company's technical joint venture with Air China, known as Ameco (Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Corp), would benefit from massive growth in the mainland's air travel industry.
Ameco is 40 per cent held by German flag carrier Lufthansa and 60 per cent by mainland flag carrier Air China.
A new hangar will open on May 24 capable of servicing four Boeing 747-400 jumbos simultaneously and will be in addition to a number of other such sites recently opened in the country.
'This is an investment in the future of China as we see it,' Mr Klein said.
'If you take the world aviation market we are expecting growth of 4 to 5 per cent globally. If you take the Asia-Pacific . . . we expect double the growth rate, of 8 to 10 per cent. In China this is growing by almost 20 per cent.' Competition for Ameco already includes a Guangzhou centre known as Gameco (Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Co), that is a joint venture between China Southern Airlines, Lockheed Aircraft Service International and Hutchison China Trade Holdings.