At its inauguration and production commencement ceremony in Beijing on December 10, 2025, BAESL, a joint venture between Air China and Rolls-Royce, is formally awarded its maintenance organization certificate by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Photo: Tu Lei/GT

Beijing Aero Engine Services Co (BAESL), a joint venture established by Air China and Rolls-Royce, held an inauguration and production commencement ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the latest aerospace industry cooperation between China and the UK. 

As a modern enterprise in the Chinese mainland dedicated to the overhaul of high-thrust Rolls-Royce Trent series aero engines, the inauguration of BAESL marks a significant breakthrough for China in the high-end aviation engine maintenance sector. This development will strongly propel China's civil aviation maintenance industry toward hitting higher standards, said the company. 

At the ceremony, the Civil Aviation Administration of China formally awarded BAESL the maintenance organization certificate, signifying that the company is now qualified to provide professional, reliable, and high-quality engine overhaul services.

Rolls-Royce is a global leader in aero engine manufacturing, currently powering over 500 commercial aircraft for Chinese airlines. Its Trent series engines are widely equipped in wide-body fleets worldwide, with deliveries in China accounting for approximately 20 percent of the global total. 

As one of the four joint venture maintenance centers within Rolls-Royce's global maintenance network, BAESL will actively integrate into the global aviation maintenance market. The company plans to gradually introduce overhaul services for mainstream engine models such as the Trent 700, Trent XWB-84, and Trent 1000, starting from 2026, while steadily expanding its capacity. It aims to achieve an annual overhaul target of 250 engines by 2034, BAESL said. 

"BAESL represents far more than just a new MRO facility. It's the first Rolls-Royce MRO joint venture in the Chinese mainland, and a major step forward in strengthening the global Trent services network, as well as deepening our long-standing commitment to supporting our Chinese customers with world-class capability," said Paul Keenan, director of Commercial Aviation Aftermarket Operations with Rolls-Royce.

China is the third largest single-country market for Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce has been present in China for more than 60 years, according to Keenan. 

"China has a highly advanced manufacturing sector, particularly in aerospace and other high-end technologies and it's very opportune market for aerospace companies such as BAESL and Rolls-Royce. So we're really keen to tap into that market and there's an expansion opportunities, both in terms of customers, in terms of supplies," Keith Goldfinch, deputy general manager of BAESL told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The operation and production of BAESL has not only significantly enhanced the capacity and core competitiveness of the regional aviation industry, but also inject new momentum into the development of high-end aviation services in China, according to Beijing Capital International Airport Economic Zone.

As a pioneer in airport economic development in China, the economic zone has attracted over 240 aviation service enterprises, including Airbus China. It has formed the largest, most diverse, and highest-level aviation services industry cluster in the country. 

In the field of aviation maintenance, the zone leverages AMECO's role as a key player in the supply chain, attracting over 20 maintenance enterprises, with an annual industrial output value reaching 14 billion yuan ($1.98 billion), accounting for nearly one-fifth of the national total.

From January to October 2025, the large-scale enterprises in the economic zone achieved an operating revenue of 302.2 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 6.5 percent.