KOTRA hosts Korea-China aviation industry export consultation in Xiamen

As Xiamen — a major hub for China's aviation maintenance industry — enters a new phase of growth driven by a new airport opening and rising air travel, South Korean aviation parts companies are finding expanding opportunities to boost exports to China.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced Monday that it held the 2026 Korea-China (Xiamen) Aviation Industry Export Consultation in Xiamen, Fujian Province, on Wednesday, targeting the rapidly growing Chinese aviation maintenance market.

Located on China's southeastern coast, Xiamen accounts for 25 percent of China's aviation MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) revenue, making it the country's largest hub in the sector. According to the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Statistics, the city's total aviation industry output exceeded 19.9 billion yuan ($2.96 billion) in 2025.

The planned opening of Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport later this year — designed to handle 45 million passengers and 750,000 tons of cargo annually — is expected to more than triple the city's maintenance capacity, triggering a sharp rise in local demand for airframe components and maintenance equipment. The market expansion is creating export opportunities for South Korean companies with strong quality credentials.

Five leading South Korean aviation MRO companies participated in the consultation, holding a total of 25 one-on-one meetings with 13 major local maintenance firms, including HAECO Xiamen, Xiamen Xiangyue Group and Xiamen Airlines. The Korean companies showcased finished aircraft platforms, aviation structures, passenger-to-freighter conversion parts, precision machining, composite material components, and tooling and support equipment, raising the prospect of concrete export contracts.

"Demand for parts and equipment in China's aviation maintenance market is growing rapidly with new airport openings and fleet expansions, making this an opportunity our companies cannot afford to miss," said Jang Sang-hae, head of KOTRA's China regional headquarters. "We will do our utmost to support the expansion of South Korean aviation parts exports to China, backed by quality competitiveness demonstrated through certifications such as AS9100," he added, referring to the international standard for aerospace quality management systems.

Meanwhile, KOTRA has been pursuing a range of activities to help South Korean exporters find new avenues, including hosting the Korea-India Semiconductor Partnership Week from Wednesday through Saturday in conjunction with Semicon India 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi.