China’s presence at the Paris Air Show – the globally renowned civil aviation expo – is usually reduced to Beijing’s biggest names in the field. In particular, conversation tends to focus on the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), the maker of the C919 passenger jet.
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But things have changed this year. Dozens of lesser-known Chinese firms from across the supply chain have flocked to the European capital to showcase their products to Western buyers.
The number of Chinese companies attending the biennial show has more than doubled – from 29 in 2023 to 76 this year – according to GIFAS, the aerospace industry association organising the event. Enough Chinese exporters have attended and grouped together that the show now features a de facto country pavilion for the first time in its history.
Many of these companies are making their first appearance in Paris as they vie for a place in the European market, with domestic profits plateauing amid a broader economic slowdown and cutthroat rivalries between firms.
“It’s a well-known fact that our domestic market suffers from excessive competition,” said Wang Junbo, assistant engineer at Baoti Huashen. His company specialises in titanium sponge, a crucial material for aerospace production.
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“Our company is doing all right for now in terms of profit. I know some people that are doing a lot worse, but it’s important to always be prepared,” he said at the show on Tuesday.