HEFEI, Sept. 25-- Chinese automaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. (JAC) and US automaker Navistar have announced that a joint diesel engine venture went operational on Thursday.

Celebration ceremony was held for the first diesel MaxxForce engine at the company's plant in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province.

Annual production is expected to reach 200,000 engines, said Joe Werth, general manager of the JV.

With investment of 1.8 billion yuan (293 million U.S. dollars), the JV was established in 2012, with one third of its products planned for the international market.

Troy Clarke, president and CEO of Navistar, said both Navistar and JAC working on China's most advanced clean engine technology and to upgrade diesel engines for commercial vehicles.