波音公司周四与中国的飞机零部件供应商签署了一份价值高达数亿美元的合同，并称公司希望今年能从中国获得购买波音7E7新机型飞机的订单。

　　公司负责商用飞机零部件供应的副总裁James Morris称，公司预计在这笔合同期限内，将会出现价值数亿美元在中国生产的7E7飞机的零部件项目。公司高管人员告诉记者们，在这份与中国航空工业第一和第二集团（China Aviation Industry Corp I and II，AVIC I和AVIC II）子公司签署的谅解备忘录中，中方为波音7E7飞机生产方向舵一类的产品。成都飞机公司将生产7E7和其他机型的方向舵，哈尔滨航空工业公司生产金属零部件和组件。

　　Morris称合同将在今年最终敲定，更多交易会随之而来。

　　U.S. aerospace giant Boeing Co (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) signed a deal with Chinese parts suppliers on Thursday that could be worth several hundred million dollars, and said it hoped to take orders from China for its new 7E7 jet this year.

　　Foreign firms have increasingly turned to China to supply parts or make products, and such deals have been a hot political topic in the run-up to the U.S. presidential elections as industry groups worry about losing ground to low-cost Chinese competitors.

　　"We expect that over the life of the programme there will be several hundred million dollars of 7E7 parts produced in China," said James Morris, a Boeing vice president who oversees suppliers for commercial planes.

　　The memorandum of understanding with subsidiaries of China's Aviation Industry Corp I and II -- known as AVIC I and AVIC II -- was to supply parts, such as the rudder for the 7E7, executives told reporters.

　　Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group, a unit of AVIC I, would make the rudder. AVIC II subsidiary Hafei Aviation Industry Co would make metallic and composite parts and assemblies for the 7E7 and other planes.

　　The contracts would be finalised this year and more deals could be forthcoming, Morris said.

　　To date, Boeing has bought some $500 million in components from China, mostly parts for its 737 and 757 aircraft.

　　China's booming economy and rapidly growing air transport needs have made it a crucial market for Boeing, which estimates the country will need to buy 2,400 jets over the next 20 years.

　　The 7E7 passenger jet is Boeing's first new plane in a decade and is expected to enter service in 2008.

　　Designed to save cash-strapped airlines money on fuel and operating costs, Boeing hopes the 7E7 can help it recover ground lost to European rival Airbus (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) (EAD.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) which overtook it in commercial plane deliveries last year.

　　The 7E7 series will be offered in three versions that can range from short to longer distances and will be in the 200 to 300 passenger-seat class. Boeing has said it expects the planes to be 20 percent more fuel efficient than others of a similar size because it uses lighter, composite materials and more efficient engines.   

　　Boeing hoped to receive orders from Chinese airlines for the 7E7 soon, Morris said.
"We are having very good discussions with Chinese airlines and it is our hope that we can place solid orders with them by the end of the year," he said. AVIC I Vice President Yang Yuzhong said the 7E7 market could be bigger than the 3,500 aircraft forecast by Boeing.

　　"The size of the 7E7 market hasn't been determined yet, but I believe it will be very big, so the value of our business with Boeing will be very big as well," Yang said.

　　A senior Boeing official said during a visit to Israel this month that the company could see orders for its 7E7 Dreamliner reaching 200 planes this year, with total potential sales at 3,500 aircraft.

　　Boeing announced its first 7E7 order in April, a 50-plane contract from Japan's All Nippon Airways (9202.T: Quote, Profile, Research) -- a contract it said was worth $6 billion at list prices.

　　Air New Zealand Ltd (AIR.NZ: Quote, Profile, Research) recently placed an order for two 7E7s. The cost to the airline, including supporting infrastructure, will total more than NZ$350 million ($217.5 million).

　　China Eastern Airlines Co Ltd (0670.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) , China's second-largest carrier by passenger numbers, is also considering buying the new plane.