OREANDA-NEWS. Alexander Mikheev, CEO of Russian Helicopters, part of State Corporation Rostec, took part in a signing ceremony of intergovernmental agreements between Russian and Chinese aviation authorities. The agreements set out the core principles guiding the countries' joint work across design certification, production, airworthiness certification for export and technical cooperation.

"China is one of the oldest and largest partners for Russia's helicopter industry," said Russian Helicopters CEO Alexander Mikheev. "These agreements will have a beneficial effect on our future work together by simplifying cooperation in a number of key areas, including exports of new and advanced Russian helicopters to the Chinese market."

Setting out an agreed set of principles for working together is a sign of deepening cooperation between Russia and China, and is expected to significantly reduce the organisational and financial burden on the aviation industries of both countries for exports and imports of commercial aircraft, as well as facilitating deeper cooperation on design work and production and mutual use of aviation products, which serves the interests of both countries.

Russian Helicopters works with China as part of Rostec's targeted efforts to develop partnership and strategic cooperation with Chinese companies in high-tech industries and aircraft manufacturing. As part of a MoU on construction of a heavy commercial helicopter, for example, Rostec and Russian Helicopters are continuing discussions and consultations with Chinese company Aviacopter.

Russian Helicopters delivers a wide range of models to the Chinese market, including commercial and military Mi-8/17 series helicopters, the Mi-26T and specialised coaxial Ka-32A11BCs. Deliveries of Russian helicopters to China began with the Mi-1, the first model to enter serial production, while the Mi-4 was assembled in China under licence.

The intergovernmental agreements were signed at the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) on October 13 as part of an official visit to Russia by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The agreement was signed by the IAC, the Russian Transport Ministry and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.