At a Shanxi general aviation industry ceremony, held in Taiyuan in Shanxi province on Oct 10, 16 projects were signed off worth almost 10 billion yuan ($1.41 billion), according to local officials. 

General aviation covers the private and recreational flying side to aviation -- as opposed to commercial flights and mass transportation -- as well as the manufacturing or building of smaller aircraft. 

Six of the 16 projects were linked to investment, five were strategic partnership framework agreements and three involved technical joint ventures. 

During the signing ceremony, eight C42E light sport aircraft produced by a manufacturer based in Datong city were sold. Officials said that reflected the coming of age of Shanxi as airplane manufacturing center. 

After the signing ceremony, the province staged an event to give the attendees a better understanding of its policies, projects and promotion of effective business matchmaking.

Officials said Shanxi province set out three matchmaking areas themed around policies, projects and companies -- to explain the policies concerning the general aviation industry and the advanced communications between various companies.