Opening to the Outside World and Developing International Technology and Economical Exchange
As a kind of technology condensed industry, aviation industry can be quickly developed only when it participates in international exchanges and cooperation. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Congress of the Communist Party of China, the government affirmed the policy of opening to outside world as a long term national policy and the speeding up construction of socialist modernization as a strategic measure. Hence, China's aviation industry had ended its self-isolation from outside world for about 20 years and the exchange and cooperation with foreign countries had entered into a new stage of development.
Approved by the State Council, the Ministry of Aviation Industry set up China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (hereinafter called CATIC) in early 1979. This Corporation undertakes detailed work of technical, economical exchanges and cooperations between the Chinese aviation industry and foreign companies under the guidance of the government policies and laws. Compared with the 1950s, technical introduction and cooperation in the new period had changed from single pattern to multi - forms with a variety . of contents, which provided adequate room for selecting what was needed. The government also authorized CATIC to organize foreign trade and export its own products to the world market and to absorb foreign investment.
In order to obtain first hand material of foreign countries, and correctly implement the policy of opening to the outside world, Lu Dong, the Minister of the Ministry of Aviation Industry and Vice Ministers Duan Zijun, Chen Shaozhong and Xu Changyu headed a Chinese Delegation of Aviation Industry consisted of more than 20 specialists of various professions and visited the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany in November 1978. During their 52 days surveying, they visited 4 universities, 9 institutes and 32 factories, which was the first important visit by China's aviation industry since the implementation of the policy of opening to the outside world. Since then China's aviation industry began marching to the world and sending delegations of various kinds on visits and survey in foreign countries. After investigations and study in foreign countries, China's aviation industry had formulated concrete plans of opening to the outside world.
In the early 1980s the British aviation industry held a large exhibition of new technology - and new products in Shanghai. The Ministry of Aviation Industry actively sponsored the exhibition and actively staged activities of technical exchanges. Minister Lu Dong also had discussions with the British Defence Secretary Mr. Pimm who came specially to cut the ribben for the exhibition on the future cooperation of aviation industry between the two countries. Consequently the decision was made to set up a representative office in the U.K. by China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation to strengthen the cooperation in aviation industry between China and the U.K. In that year, CATIC signed contracts with two British avionics companies for buying British airborne avionics equipment for modifying Chinese J-7 aircraft. Soon after, a contract was signed with the French Aerospatiale for buying manufacturing license of the high speed and medium size helicopter Dauphin (later named Z-9 in China).
In addition to the establishment of technical cooperation with Britain and France, China's aviation industry had established technical cooperative relations with the Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden, U.S.A., Japan, Italy and Hong Kong area and, trade relations with East European countries and U.S.S.R. had also been developed. More than 50 countries and regions in the world had established relations with China's aviation industry.
During this period the Chinese aviation industry also introduced American airborne radio and navigation equipment to modify its sea patrol plane and small transport. In cooperation with Hong Kong Aircraft Co. its passenger plane was modified and, attack aircraft was modified in cooperation with Aeritalia in Italy.
All the above cooperation were fruitful and the modified aircraft had their performance improved and their scope of service widened with some of the aircraft even exported to other countries.Apart from introducing airborne equipment, China's aviation industry also introduced large electronic computers, test aircraft, control and measuring instruments, test facilities and machine tools from industrial countries in the world to improve its research and test capability.
At the same time of introducing advanced products and technology from foreign countries, the Chinese Aeronautical Establishment also cooperated with foreign aeronautical science and research organizations. CAE signed a " special agreement of cooperation in the field of civil aviation research" with German DFVLR in accordance with the agreement on science and technology cooperation between governments of China and the Federal Republic of Germany in April 1980. Similar agreements were signed later with FFA, NASA and the French ONERA. Cooperative relations had also been established with aeronautical scientific research institutions in Italy, Belgium and Romania. Cooperation forms included joint research, co-sponsoring academic symposium, exchanging specialists and documentation.
By the end of 1986, about 140 Chinese aeronautical scientific research personnel and specialists had been sent to those countries for short visits or study and about 87 foreign specialists came to China for scientific and technological activities. The cooperation covered many important areas like aerodynamics, aircraft structural strength, aero engine research and aeronautical materials etc. Effective cooperation produced fruitful results. Achievement of the research program on aircraft ground resonance test technology conducted jointly by China and the Federal Republic of Germany satisfied the need in aircraft flutter analysis and power response computation. New development had also been witnessed in introducing foreign knowledge and know-how. One of its forms was to seek technical consultation from foreign countries, such as from the British Vickers Limited Co. on the design of exhaust cooler of China's engine altitude test facility and from the U.S. Lockheed Co. on the issue of airworthiness of Y-12 aircraft. Another form was to send people directly to foreign countries to study, to be trained or to work. From 1978 to 1986, aviation industry had sent 949 students abroad and 110 engineers to work in aircraft and engine companies in 12 countries; about 235 specialists from 12 countries were invited to China for lectures and technical seminars and 545 Chinese people from the industry participated 240 international academic symposiums in the world.
Introduction of foreign advanced technology through multi-channels in a variety of forms and the international cooperation in science and technology enabled China's aviation industry to have more opportunities to absorb advantages from many companies in the world, to learn new technology and speed up its development.
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