Airbus defends free trade

ZHUHAI, China, Nov 12 (Reuters): European planemaker Airbus defended free trade on Tuesday as the aerospace industry faces a growing cluster of economic tensions.

The CEO of the planemaker's China operations said Airbus was "very much pro free trade" and its presence there was a showcase of good cooperation between Beijing and Europe.

Trade ties between the European Union and China have been marred by a dispute over electric vehicles, while Airbus also faces a potential new transatlantic rift after Donald Trump won U.S. elections with a pledge to impose widespread tariffs.

Asked whether Airbus was worried about the possibility of tariffs arising from intensifying trade tensions between China and Europe, Airbus China CEO George Xu said the European group saw free trade as vital for global prosperity.