China has signed a general terms agreement with French Airbus for an order of 30 Airbus aircraft, which will be delivered during the period from 2004 to 2006.
Under the agreement, the 30 aircraft, including four A330s, 16 A319s and 10 A320s, will be operated by major Chinese airlines including China Southern Airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Sichuan Airlines.
Airbus President and CEO Noel Forgeard and President of the China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Li Hai signed the agreement in Beijing. The signing ceremony was attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and visiting French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
Airbus has also invested 80 million US dollars to set up a customer services training and support centre in Beijing.
(cri.com April 26, 2003)
