A senior executive with Rolls-Royce Plc, a UK-based engine developer, said on Friday that the company is working closely with a joint venture to specify the power solution for newly proposed wide-body aircraft CR929, and he believed the company is best positioned in providing the engine.

At the end of 2017, the joint venture, China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Co (CRAIC), issued a Request for Proposal for the CR929's propulsion system to a slew of engine producers including Rolls-Royce, which is expected to respond in May, according to Paul Stein, Chief Technology Officer with Rolls-Royce Plc, "We take it very seriously and we want to be the engine provider for CR929."

CRAIC is a joint venture between the Chinese plane maker COMAC and its Russian partner, aiming to build a wide-body aircraft to break the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus in the market.

"As the part of the relationship and partnership with COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd) and CRAIC, we hope to do more in technology, supply chain, manufacturing as well as work on the new engine," Stein said. "China has the ambition to increase its civil aerospace business, and RR wants to be part of the ambition."

 When asked why the company has such confidence, Stein said the engine of three-shaft architecture, which delivers advantages in fuel efficiency and performance retention, is very suitable to the engine of a CR929, and the company is going to work with CRAIC to make sure the aircraft engine is optimized to fit its needs.

As for the engine design, Stein said it will evolve from a mature product with proven technology to ensure the reliability and competitiveness of the aircraft, adding that the company is exploring collaborative opportunities with Chinese aerospace industrial players.

COMAC said in September 2017 that China will design and make the fuselage of the CR929, and Russia will design the wings of the aircraft.

COMAC did not reveal any bidding information when asked by the Global Times on Friday.