by Xinhua writer Hu Tao


BEIJING Air Huarache Sale , Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ships and planes -the two main forms of global travel, and one man's viewing platforms for global development.


Rafael Gonzalez-Ripoll's 40-year career launched with the Spanish navy and then 30-year in the Airbus has taken him to the heights of China's burgeoning aviation industry.


"Destiny drove me from shipbuilding to plane manufacturing," says the 63-year-old chief operating officer of Airbus China.


"Luckily, I enjoy changes and destiny has given me opportunities," Gonzalez-Ripoll said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.


"Aviation is the most amazing and fascinating thing. Why? Flying makes a difference."


After the navy, he moved into shipbuilding, and in 1986, he joined Spanish aircraft-maker CASA, which later became the Spanish branch of EADS, the pan-European aviation giant that was to change its name to Airbus.


Beginning as a safety and environmental affairs officer, Gonzalez-Ripoll now leads its operations in China as the country embarks on building its own competing aircraft industry.


CHANGING POSITIONS


He articulated his sense of achievement in explaining his job to his grandson as "making people fly".


The multicultural company has seen it adapt well to China, he said, citing the example of the successful A350, the wide-body Airbus passenger aircraft that had its wings made in Spain and Germany to be assembled in Britain.


"Staff here have a sense of ownership and belonging, being the owner of the group," he said.


"We open doors to people around the world to join Airbus, making them see and work in a harmonious way, and not judging according to their own culture. It is challenging, but undoubtedly beneficial."


The approach has helped Airbus develop rapidly as a latecomer in a highly competitive field


"To bridge differences, we just need to change positions," said Gonzalez-Ripoll.


"We create an atmosphere that encourages all staff to sit at one table and to speak frankly." From his office facing the Beijing International Airport, Gonzalez-Ripoll sees a constant stream of aircraft taking off and landing, reminding him that the aviation industry requires total devotion.


"I have two passions in life: my 30 years in aviation and 40 years with my wife," he said.


SAFETY PARAMOUNT


Since becoming COO of Airbus China in Beijing in January 2013, he has devoted himself to forging a far-visioned strategy for Airbus in China, a booming civil aviation market and rising aviation industry power.


The Airbus in-service fleet for aircraft with more than 100 seats has grown from 6 percent of China's total in 1994 to 50 percent today.


"Airbus made a good decision and injected huge resources to make it real. We did the right thing, bringing not only aircraft, but also technologies and chances," said Gonzalez-Ripoll.


In July 2015, the company launched its Completion and Delivery Centre (CDC) in Tianjin for cabin and furnishings fixtures and liveries. In less than three year, Tianjin will be the third center delivering both narrow and wide-body Airbus aircraft, after its headquarters in Toulouse, France, and Seattle, in the United States.


"In the near future, China will have its own civilian aviation industry. It comes from the government's determination, political will and money." The first China-developed large passenger jet, the C919, from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC), has entered the final assembly phase. A more ambitious plan for a twin-aisle wide-body jet is in the pipeline.


"China is on the right direction. It takes time and determination. There are no shortcuts in the aviation industry. Safety is the lifeblood of aviation and nobody can find way around it," he said. "China is making the world's skies more dynamic."




By Sportswriter Xu Zheng


BEIJING， March 23 (Xinhua) -- Animated by the success of the 2016-2017 season， Chinese Volleyball League (CVL) organizers are looking to boost the sport in China， pushing forward all-round cooperation with partners and making more achievements， a top Chinese volleyball official has said.


With the country's top volleyball league recording positive growth this season， officials say they now hope to have more clubs involved， see more star players emerge and also achieve good results at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.


CVA vice president Li Quanqiang pointed out the success of Chinese women's team at 2016 Rio Olympics and noted that all the players came from the domestic volleyball league. Li also said that in recent years， the CVL has made landmark achievements like establishing a young players growth channel.


"The CVL is the cradle where players grew up. If we can strengthen the league， we can have more players to choose from for the national team. So the next step is to expand the CVL by adding more qualified teams，" said Li.


The CVL now has 12 teams in both men and women's volleyball. In the 2005-2006 season， the CVL expanded to 32 teams each but it turned out to be a failure， as the newly added teams played below expectations， and the second division of the league didn't have enough teams.


"Of course， we would have an access system for the teams; the CVL is the highest level of China's volleyball， we have to ensure that，" added Li.


The CVL chose a new commercial partner in the IRENA Group before this season， and this is considered to be a long-awaited reform. This season's CVL saw an overall increase in spectator numbers compared to 2015-2016 season， with the finals seeing an especially significant increase. There was an average of nearly 3，000 spectators per match. Other major achievements included the All-Star weekend， use of the challenge system and an LED display during all matches for the first time.


Gao Chao， president of IRENA， promises to push the CVL to become as prosperous as China's.