"The reason why we participate [in MAKS-2017] with our companies is the civil airline projects. One of the prospects that they are looking forward to is the long range wide-body aircraft that Russia and China are going to develop. And the intention of our companies is to be part of this development. This is the main reason why we are here," Van Der Plas said.
According to Van Der Plas, West's anti-Russian sanctions create troubles for such cooperation, however, "they are not a wall that we cannot breach."
Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) are working on developing the jumbo jet at an estimated cost of $13 billion, expected to take its first test flight in 2021 and put into commercial production in 2025.
