The first AW139 helicopter produced in Pinghu, a county-level city of Jiaxing in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

The first AW139 helicopter produced in Pinghu, a county-level city of Jiaxing in East China's Zhejiang province, made its debut at the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) on Nov 5, the first day of the expo's business exhibitions.

The AW139, boasting state-of-art technologies, is a star product of Italy's Leonardo Group, the world's largest commercial helicopter manufacturer. The medium-sized helicopter carries up to 15 passengers and two pilots. It can fly continuously for nearly five hours, at a speed of around 300 kilometers per hour.

The AW139 has served many dignitaries worldwide, including the British Royal Family, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Dubai's royal family. Queen Elizabeth II stunned the world by "parachuting" from an AW139 helicopter into the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Shanghai Zenisun Group engages in both real estate and general aviation businesses. The company began negotiations with Leonardo Group at the inaugural edition of the CIIE in 2018.

In June 2019, the Sino-Italian helicopter manufacturing project was launched in Pinghu. The joint venture, which has 12.8 billion yuan ($1.86 billion) in investment, is set to deliver 150 helicopters per year.