Despite a slowdown in orders from Asian carriers, Boeing plans to open a new regional base in Hong Kong this year to service its customers in the SAR and southern China.
As part of its beefed-up presence in Hong Kong, Boeing also wants to try to break Airbus Industrie's stranglehold on Dragonair by selling it a number of 777 twin-engine jets to service popular routes to the mainland.
Boeing's plans for a new SAR base were leaked out during a speech on Monday by Larry Dickenson, senior vice-president for sales in Asia, at a conference on Hong Kong and the mainland.
Chief Boeing spokesman Carrie Cable said the plans for the Hong Kong office were still being finalised and that it had not yet been announced internally.
'We want to be closer to our customers, not only in Hong Kong but also in China,' Mr Dickenson said.
Previously, Boeing serviced its customers in Hong Kong and southern China from its office in Beijing and the Seattle-area headquarters.
The Hong Kong facility would open at a time when Boeing is facing depressed demand from several Asian carriers.
