Rockwell and Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) have formed an advisory council to explore new areas of cooperation in both aviation and non-aviation fields.

One goal of the accord is to position Rockwell Avionics & Communications better to compete for avionics contracts on the new 100-seater AE100 airliner family to be developed by AVIC in a joint venture with Singapore Technologies Ltd, Airbus Industrie and Finmeccanica.

Clay Jones, the US company's executive vice-president, who is also co-chairman of the council with AVIC vice president, Zhang Yanzhong, says the agreement represents a new step in the company's long-term strategy to increase its presence in the Chinese market.

Source: Flight Daily News