Airbus Group, one of the world's biggest aircraft manufacturers, is to set up an assembly line in Jimo, Shandong province, to build H135 helicopters.

The helicopters are currently only made in Europe.

According to the local government, Airbus Helicopters — a division of Airbus Group — has signed a deal with China Aviation Supplies Holding Co and Qingdao United General Aviation Co to set up a consortium to run the assembly line.

The line is scheduled to go into operation next year, and is expected to produce 36 helicopters annually. It will be built in the Jimo High-tech Zone, the core area of Qingdao's general aviation industry.

The zone aims to become a national-level general aviation manufacturing zone by focusing on aircraft final assembly, delivery, repair and maintenance, as well as airplane parts manufacturing, general aviation training and business tourism, the local authorities said.