Airshow sales exceed $21b; defense takes prominence

The 12th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai resulted in deals, including sales of 240 aircraft, worth more than $21.2 billion. While sales were down from two years ago, international interest was up considerably, especially in military equipment and drones.

A record 770 exhibitors (compared to 700 in 2016) from 43 countries and regions attended the country's largest gathering of aircraft makers and buyers. They signed 569 contracts, agreements, and letters of intent.

The country's top 10 military enterprises displayed a lineup of domestic achievements at the show for the first time. They also highlighted interactions with world-renowned aerospace firms such as Boeing and Airbus.

The Nov 6-11 display in Jinwan District featured China's full range of land, sea, and air capabilities. Standing out were national defenses represented by the J-10B fighter jet, 4th-generation J-20 fighter, and CM-400AKG and CM-401 missiles.

Meanwhile, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attracted a great deal of attention from international buyers at this year's exhibition. China Aerospace Science & Technology Corp (CASC), for instance, signed 32 cooperation agreements worth 45.3 billion yuan ($6.6 billion) for its Rainbow series on opening day.

The Zhuhai Airshow Center offered the largest exhibition area ever, covering 500,000 sq m (124 acres) indoors and out.

The airshow has been held every two years since 1996 at Zhuhai Airshow Center in Jinwan. It will return in 2020 from Nov 10 to 15 with Zhuhai as the permanent host city.