BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- At the fourth China International Supply Chain Expo being held in Beijing, a complete aviation industry innovation chain stands out, spanning aviation materials, core forgings and low-altitude economy applications, drawing widespread attention to the participating companies.
With global giants like Airbus highlighting their deep-rooted partnerships and Chinese "chain leaders" connecting with suppliers worldwide, this sector embodies the expo's core message: when industries collaborate across borders, a supply chain can become a win-win chain for all.
ADVANCED MATERIALS EMPOWERING FLIGHT
At the booth of Baimtec Material Co., Ltd., civil titanium alloy precision castings, superalloy master alloys and aircraft cockpit transparencies are on display.
"We have established stable partnerships with leading global aircraft manufacturers, with multiple products supporting China's C909 and C919 passenger jets," said Li Peihuan, head of Baimtec's development planning department. "We have achieved a two-way development pattern, ensuring domestic supply while expanding international market share."
Applications, notably, extend beyond aviation. Cobalt-based alloys developed by Baimtec are now used in artificial bone joints, gaining recognition from doctors and patients worldwide for their wear resistance, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility.
Nearby, the Cangzhou Dahua Group based in Cangzhou of north China's Hebei Province, is displaying drone-specific materials.
Li Panpan, the company's manager, explained that their silicon-PC glass fiber composite is widely used in drone shells, combining lightweight properties with high strength, while their brominated PC material for battery separators meets the highest flame-retardant standards.
BUILDING AN OPEN SUPPLY CHAIN
At the booth of AVIC SAC Commercial Aircraft Company Ltd., core C919 components, including the vertical tail, pylon and rear fuselage section, are prominently displayed.
Xiao Jingchang, head of the company's project department, noted that as a mid-stream "chain leader," the company is accelerating the development of an open supply chain, having established stable partnerships with over 500 suppliers across 20 countries and regions.
"The local supply chain matching rate in the Liaoning region in northeast China has exceeded 40 percent," Xiao said. Through a supplier classification and grading system, the company has helped more than 100 local supporting enterprises upgrade their technologies.
Wanhang Die Forging Co., Ltd. under China National Erzhong Group, an 80,000-tonne die forging press manufacturer, is showcasing its core components for aircraft fuselages and landing gear at the expo in Beijing.
"Our independently developed press can produce core C919 landing gear parts that withstand impact forces of 70 to 90 tonnes upon landing," said Feng Wei, deputy general manager of Wanhang. "As first-time exhibitors, we look forward to forging new partnerships with more companies to go global."
In the downstream sector, meanwhile, the low-altitude economy is rapidly transitioning from concept to reality.
In Yuecheng District of Shaoxing City in east China's Zhejiang Province, drones have achieved large-scale application in urban governance.
Liu Gao, head of the district's low-altitude economy section, is presenting their "one flight, multiple uses" model at the expo, explaining that a single drone flight simultaneously collects data for water conservancy, urban management and transportation departments, with AI algorithms automatically generating diagnostic reports.
The supply chain expo is not only a platform for domestic companies but also an important venue for international collaboration.
Xu Gang, global executive vice president of Airbus and CEO of Airbus China, said that over the past 40-plus years in China, Airbus has built a deep cooperation ecosystem spanning the entire industry chain from joint engineering design and raw material procurement to core component manufacturing.
The fourth edition of this expo, running from June 22 to 26, has brought together 676 companies and institutions from home and abroad.
As aviation industry insiders have noted, only through open cooperation and collaborative innovation can the global aviation industry chain be strengthened for the future. ■
