Airbus’ growing operations in Tianjin are helping expand China’s role in the global aviation supply chain, creating more opportunities for local manufacturers to participate in high-end aircraft production.

The northern port city is home to one of Airbus’ four aircraft final assembly bases worldwide and its first outside Europe. On Wednesday, the company delivered the first aircraft assembled at its new A320 family final assembly line in Tianjin, its second in China and Asia.

The new line marks another step in Airbus’ growing industrial footprint in China, where cooperation now spans the aircraft lifecycle, from research and design and manufacturing to final assembly, operational support, and dismantling and recycling.

Airbus’ presence has also helped attract more than 100 companies to Tianjin’s aviation industry chain, with about 23 supplying products directly to its assembly operations.

China’s strengthening equipment manufacturing capabilities and increasingly integrated logistics network are providing further support, while Airbus is looking to work with Chinese partners on new technologies and innovation.