CHINA'S jumbo jet producer began building its new headquarters at the former World Expo 2010 site in Shanghai's Pudong New Area yesterday.
The Commercial Aircraft Corp of China project will be completed in 2014 to be the first headquarters of a state-owned enterprise at the former Expo site.
A total of 13 state-owned enterprises, including Baosteel and State Grid, are due to build or move their headquarters to the Expo's former Zone B.
"The city aims to build the former Expo site into the world's top-level headquarters economy zone to further boost its innovation-driven development," Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng has said.
COMAC, currently based on Zhangyang Road, also in Pudong, plans to have a headquarters and three centers in the city by 2014 to develop the country's first large passenger jet, the C919, and a regional passenger jet, the ARJ21, to compete with the world's leading plane makers.
Its research and development center in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park has been completed, while assembly and customer services centers in Pudong and Minhang District are also near completion, said Jin Zhuanglong, COMAC chairman.
"The new headquarters will include project management, financial services, marketing and sales as well as international exchange centers," Jin said.
China is investing 200 billion yuan (US$31.8 billion) in developing its domestic jumbo jet. All facets of the process - from design to sourcing and production - will be done in China, as the project aims to reduce the country's reliance on overseas firms such as Boeing and Airbus.
The C919, with 150 seats and a flying range of 4,075 kilometers, already has 235 orders from more than 10 Chinese companies. It is due to make its first flight in 2014.
The ARJ21 has more than 200 orders, mainly from Chinese state-controlled companies. It has begun final flight test certification.
Zone B is an area of 18.72 hectares earmarked for headquarters. Some 28 office buildings, to be built with environmentally friendly materials, will be constructed in the area, said Ding Hao, Expo Development Group president.
The city is also to build the country's first hotel cluster, with 1,200 rooms, in front of the Expo Center mainly for staff and officials of the enterprises.