Hanoi (VNA) – The world’s leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus has said its President and CEO Fabrice Bregier signed seve🎃ral agreements with Vietnamese partners to help the country develop the aviation industry.

The French company chose Nikkiso Vietnam, a Hanoi-based firm, as its partner in manufacturing specific components for wide-body aircraft, and signed a contract with Artus Vietnam – a subsidiary of Meggitt PLC – on assessing the possibility of providing spare parts for Airbus in the next 10 years. Meanwhile, NAVBLUE – an Airbus subsidiary – inked a protocol with the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation to improve the efficiency of Vietnam’s air traffic control system, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Additionally, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Airbus and the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), in which the French company will assist the university in establishing an aviation faculty. It also partners with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in training MAs on flight safety management. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Fabrice Bregier, who is accompanying French President Francois Hollande during his State visit to Vietnam, said that Airbus wishes to increase its presence in the industrial production in Vietnam and support the country in bettering its air traffic management as well as its education in this area. Airbus started operations in Vietnam in 1990 when its A320, the first aircraft manufactured in western countries, was used in the country. Last year, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines became the first carrier in East Asia and the second in the world to operate the new generation A350 XWB of Airbus. The company’s operations in Vietnam have so far provided job opportunities for about 550 skilled local workers, Bregier said, adding that the figure is set to double by 2020, making Vietnam Airbus’ most important Southeast Asian partner.-VNA