European aeronautics giant Airbus announced Friday that it is to create a new joint venture to produce parts and composite materials in China.

"Airbus and a group of Chinese industrial partners today signed a contract which will lead to a juoint-venture production centre in Harbin, China," the group said in a statement.

"This centre will produce parts and composite elements due for use under the A350 XWB programme and within the A320 family of Airbus craft," and will be operational come September this year, with a second plant due to open in 2010.

The shareholding will see 50 percent held by the Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Company Limited (HAIG); 20 percent by Airbus China; with Hafei Aviation Industry Company Limited (HAI), Avichina Industry et Technology Company Limited (AVICHINA) et Harbin Development Zone Heli Infrastructure Development Company Limited (HELI) each taking a 10 percent stake.

Airbus in September opened a new plant in the Chinese port of Tianjin, the the firm's first outside of Europe.