China's civil aviation market is projected to sustain robust long‑term growth, with Airbus forecasting demand for 8,830 new passenger aircraft over the next 20 years, more than 20 percent of global demand.
Airbus, Europe's largest aircraft manufacturer, said surging household incomes and accelerated urbanization are driving airlines to expand their networks beyond major hubs into smaller cities, reshaping domestic travel patterns.
Per‑capita air trips in China are expected to rise from 0.5 to 1.4 annually, a sharp increase that reflects rising incomes and expanding airline networks. Yet the figure still trails mature aviation markets, pointing to vast untapped potential.
Industry executives stressed that despite global economic headwinds, China's aviation sector remains the most resilient growth engine for civil aviation worldwide, reinforcing its central role in shaping the industry's future.
China's aviation market to drive 20 pct of global aircraft demand: Airbus
China's aviation market to drive 20 pct of global aircraft demand: Airbus
China's aviation market to drive 20 pct of global aircraft demand: Airbus
A new China-Austria international innovation center will be set up in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, to bridge Austrian technology firms with China's advanced manufacturing sector.
The proposed China-Austria (Ningbo) International Innovation Center aims to connect Austria's strengths in research and specialized technologies with Ningbo's advanced manufacturing capabilities and established industrial supply chains, according to Sebastian Kovacs, president of the Austrian Technology and Entrepreneurship Association (ATEA) and a representative of Vienna Neustadt.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue held from Monday to Thursday in Ningbo, Kovacs said the initiative would help Austrian technology companies gain easier access to the Chinese market, including through investment support and local operational assistance.
"I mean since I'm coming here, and based on my background in Austria, I'm always working with technology companies, right? And as you can imagine, when it's a good technology, it needs to grow, right? And it needs maybe capital from outside stakeholders, investors. Usually they go to the West, they go to the United Kingdom or to go to the United States, because the barrier for entrance is lower than maybe go to China. And I want to solve this. I want to give the Austrian tech companies the opportunity to go into China, much easier, much faster. And this is where we support with people and teams on the ground, but also with capital to invest into," said Kovacs in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
Ningbo's industrial strengths could also offer Austrian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, opportunities to expand their operations and develop partnerships in China. The city is home to a major international port and well-established manufacturing clusters, including in the automotive and battery sectors.
Kovacs told CGTN that these industries also align with areas of expertise in Austria, creating opportunities for the two sides to build on their complementary strengths.
"You have the biggest regarding transaction volume port in the world. Logistically, geographically, you're very perfectly situated. As you mentioned, you have a lot of manufacturing hubs here in Ningbo, especially in automotive and battery. This is also one of our strengths in Austria. So we naturally have an overlap. We are aiming to use this more into the future," he noted.
China, Austria seek closer technology, manufacturing cooperation through new innovation center
