May 30 – CEO of Boeing, the world’s second largest plane maker, said China is its largest export market, “Not by a little, but by a lot”. James McNerney explained “A growing middle class in China is dramatically reshaping the country’s domestic economy and having a major global economic impact as well.” China’s economy expanded by almost 12 percent in the first three months of 2010 and Boeing expects new Chinese wealth and government spending on infrastructure will increase travel in China and extend a boom in plane orders for the foreseeable future.
McNernery said China plans to add 97 new airports by 2020, bringing the country’s total number of airports to 244. Boeing expects that China will need about 3,800 airplanes valued at $400 billion (Dh 1.4 trillion) over the next 20 years. China has purchased more commercial airplanes in the last ten years than any other country except the United States. Boeing has sold China a little more than half of its current fleet of 1,560 planes.
