On April 21 and April 22, AmCham China’s US-China Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP) launched the China Aviation Culture & Education Accelerator Program (the program) in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, with nearly 200 attendees participating in the one-and-a-half-day program. The program is organized in partnership with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China (AOPA China).
On the afternoon of April 21, representatives from Boeing, Textron, Landrum & Brown, and Universal Weather & Aviation met with senior leaders from Henan Airport Group. Geoffrey Jackson, Executive Director of AmCham China’s ACP, opened the meeting by expressing thanking the Henan Airport Group and the US Embassy in Beijing for supporting the launch of the program. Jackson also introduced the program, highlighting its aim to promote people-to-people educational and cultural exchanges, in line with the goal established during President Biden and President Xi’s meeting in November 2022.
Kang Shengzhen, Chairman of Henan Airport Group, and Liu Jianmin, General Manager of Henan Airport Group also joined the meeting. For his part, Liu spoke about his previous training experience with ACP’s Airport Management and Operations Efficiency Training Program (AMOETP) and stressed the importance of aviation education and exchange. He went on to encourage AmCham China and ACP to hold more aviation education activities in Henan Province, which has a solid foundation for aviation development, a strong aviation culture, and a good educational aviation environment.
On April 22, the day began with a welcome ceremony at Shangjie Airport. Sherry Carbary, President of Boeing China and ACP Co-Chair; Xia Lidong, Deputy District Mayor of Shangjie District People’s Government; and Angela Guo, Deputy Secretary General of AOPA China, all delivered remarks. They highlighted the importance of aviation education and praised the work the Chamber and ACP are doing to educate young students.
Representatives from Boeing, Textron, Landrum & Brown, and Universal Weather & Aviation Weather shared their extensive aviation knowledge and experience with local teachers, including a discussion about the history of aviation development and general aviation development. The program attracted participation from over 160 primary and college aged students.
Rocky Zhang, Vice President of Government Affairs of Textron, delivered the event’s closing remarks. He underscored how the aviation sector drives economic development and innovation, and pointed out that the work China is doing in this field has been critical for the larger global aviation community.
