European planemaker Airbus spearheaded an array of high-profile deals struck between France and China on Saturday as Paris pursued a drive to turn warming political ties to economic profit.
Airbus was the biggest beneficiary of French President Jacques Chirac's commerce-driven sweep through China as Paris strives to carve out a bigger share of China's giant market.
Tolouse-based Airbus clinched deals with Air China and China Eastern Airlines.
Air China signed off on the purchase of 6 Airbus A319 planes, valued for their performance at some of the world's highest airports, in Latin America and Tibet.
Air China also signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 16 of Airbus's A330s, a twin-engine plane its maker says boasts some of the lowest operating costs of any aircraft ever designed.
With an official price-tag of USD$130 million apiece, the order would eventually bring Airbus USD$2.08 billion.
China Eastern Airlines, meanwhile, confirmed its order for 20 of Airbus A330s.
"This agreement marks a new milestone in the longstanding cooperation between our two companies," Airbus Chairman Noel Forgeard said of the deal with China Eastern, Airbus' first and largest customer in the country.
The Airbus fleet in China has grown to 250 aircraft since it first entered the Chinese market with 29 planes in 1985. Airbus said 5 Chinese companies are now involved in producing parts for Airbus planes.
Accompanying Chirac on the visit to China, Forgeard said Airbus had concluded a cooperation agreement with AVIC 1, a subsidiary of its China's Aviation Industry Corporation, that includes producing wing parts for its mammoth A380 superjumbo.
That deal will be seen as a move to encourage China to purchase the A380 although Forgeard denied there was any link.
