Project on wide-body aircraft

Russia plans to work with China to design and produce a new wide-body aircraft to compete with Boeing Co and Airbus Group SE, aiming to sign a deal by the end of this year, according to Deputy Industry Minister Andrey Boginsky.

He said Russia is ready to fund the initial stage of the project, which will focus on the design of a new twin-aisle plane.

China and Russia may sign an inter-governmental agreement by the end of the year, and the project may later be expanded to include the development of an engine, he said.