11/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - United States complains at WTO about Chinese tax exemptions for aircraft. On Tuesday 8 December, the United States requested the opening of consultations with China about the tax exemptions it grants for DS 501 aircraft manufactured in the country. The US administration is unhappy that some of these commercial aircraft are exempt from 17% VAT although VAT at 17% is levied on imported aircraft. It also criticises Beijing for trying to hide the tax incentive scheme for aircraft by not keeping quiet about it. This US offensive comes at a time when Chinese aircraft manufacturers are trying to break the duopoly of Europe's Airbus and the United States' Boeing. In early November, Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac unveiled its first medium-sized carrier, baptised C919, for the regional flight market in the longer-term. China is planning to build its first long-distance craft, the C929, over the next decade. (EH)