November 5, 2016: Moscow and Beijing have signed a contract on the delivery of two Beriev's Be-200 amphibious aircraft to China with possible sale of two more planes in future, Russian Trade Minister Denis Manturov said Wednesday.

An agreement for supply of 2+2 (delivery of two aircraft and a contractual right to buy two more) to China's Energy Leader Aircraft Manufacturing Co. LTD has been signed at the 2016 International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, Airshow China, in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. The first delivery is expected to take place in 2018," Manturov told reporters.

Beriev Aircraft Company General Director Yuri Grudinin (R front), United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Yuri Slyusar, Russia's Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov (L-R background) during a ceremony to sign a contract for supply of 4 Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft to Energy Leader Aircraft Manufacturing Co. LTD at the 2016 International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, Airshow China, in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. © Marina Lystseva/TASS

Russian trade minister added that the promotion of Be-200 at foreign markets would help Beriev Aircraft Company to use its production capacities to the full extent and to produce six aircraft a year.

The Be-200 is a large aircraft that has the ability, among others, to take off and land in water, scoop up 12 tons of water and then drop that water on a wildfire in 18 seconds.