An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 30, 2023 shows a view of the Boeing Tianjin Composites Co., Ltd. in north China's Tianjin Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Phase III expansion project of the Boeing Tianjin Composites Co., Ltd., plane maker Boeing's first joint venture in China, was officially put into operation on Friday.

The project is expected to double the production capacity of the Tianjin plant, according to Boeing. The expansion was launched in the original factory area in 2019.

With a total floor area of about 58,000 square meters, the new facility can also provide more space for the assembling work involving more high-end and complex parts.

"Boeing is very proud of the partnership that we have built with China over more than half a century," said Brendan Nelson, senior vice president of the Boeing Company and president of Boeing Global.

"We are committed to China for the next 50 years," said Nelson, adding that Boeing will continue cooperation in China in a wide range of fields, including composites manufacturing, research, training, completion and delivery center, and sustainability.

Established in 1999, Boeing Tianjin Composites Co., Ltd. is the largest production base of composite materials in the Boeing supply chain in China. Its products cover all Boeing aircraft models.

Since China received the first batch of Boeing 707 aircraft in 1973, Boeing has delivered more than 2,000 aircraft to Chinese customers. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 Boeing aircraft use parts and components are made in China.