China to boost civil aerospace industrialization with Xi'an base

China is constructing a civil aerospace center in the Shaanxi Province capital, a further move to step up its industrialization of the sector following the launch of the initial Shanghai base last year.
The National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base of Xi'an, set to cover 23 square km, will focus on developing satellites, new materials, energies, IT and other technologies for the benefit of civil application, Yue Huafeng, Xi'an deputy mayor, said at a press conference here Friday.
It is expected to realize an output of 20 billion yuan (2.7 billion U.S.S. dollars) in 2012 with a number of competitive enterprises and a burgeoning technological renovation system, according to the plan.
The central and local authorities are still working on the detailed scheme of the campaign. When it will break ground was unknown.
The initiative was approved recently by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) following the launch of the Shanghai National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base late last year, according to Yue.
The Shanghai center, now under construction, includes a research and development center, an industrialization base and a scientific park. It will jointly promote the growth of civil aerospace business, technological renovation and application of such technologies.