BEIJING, Sept 25: China has strengthened its cooperation with Pakistan in the aviation sector, including undertaking joint ventures in aircraft manufacturing. The two sides have maintained close cooperation over the years in order to promote their defence industry. In this connection, the joint-venture for producing JF-17 Thunder aircraft is a major development, official sources said here.

The project is being carried out successfully. While reviewing China’s progress in the aviation sector and its cooperation with foreign countries, a senior official of the China Aviation Industry Xu Zhanbin said it has successfully developed the third-generation jet trainer the L15.

The L15 trainer will hopefully target the global market after it begins mass production in 2007. “We will first target those countries which have built strong ties with us,” Xu said.

He said his country had already sold more than 200 K-8 jets, the second-generation trainer, to more than 10 foreign countries including Pakistan, Myanmar and Zambia.

The K-8 jet is designed not only for training missions such as take-offs, landings, spin and night flights, but also for armed operations training.

Test flights indicate that the aircraft is an excellent basic trainer with good flight quality and performance, providing satisfactory efficiency at low operation and maintenance costs.—APP