Ever since it was formed as a multi-national consortium four decades ago, Airbus has followed a straightforward model for building civil aircraft. Complete sections are fabricated in factories around Europe, then shipped to Toulouse or Hamburg, where they are joined together. So when the European airframer decided to set up its first final assembly line outside of Europe, it was a relatively easy step.

Sometimes it helps to take a long view. Snecma decided two decades ago that China was a coming force in aircraft building, and ever since has steadily built up China's involvement in the best-selling CFM56 engine. That involvement has now reached the point of the complete low-pressure (LP) turbine module for the Boeing 737's CFM56-7B being made in Snecma's wholly owned plant at Suzhou in eastern China. Indeed, all LP turbine modules for U.S.-assembled CFM56-7Bs come from Suzhou.

While most Western aircraft makers weigh the costs and benefits of ordering more parts from China, a defense factory in the country's northeast is busily turning out three complete airplanes a week for one U.S. company. And the customer, Cessna, is looking at how it might take another step in the relationship, even while supplier Avic Defense is still ramping up production of the current product, the 162 Skycatcher light sport airplane.