While this mega-order was to involve 184 medium-haul A320 Airbus, destined for 13 Chinese companies, it is ultimately 290 A320 and ten A350 that will be purchased by the state-owned company CASC.

A total of 290 Airbus A320s and ten A350s will be purchased by the Chinese state-owned company CASC (China Aviation Supplies Holding Company), according to a trade agreement signed on Monday during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to France.

A much larger contract than advertised

In a separate statement, Airbus confirmed the "order of 300 Airbus aircraft in total by Chinese companies," a significantly larger contract than the pre-agreement announced more than a year ago, which involved 184 Airbus A320s. The European aircraft manufacturer has not disclosed the amount of the contract with CCAC, but at the list price 2018, this represents more than 35 billion dollars.

Airbus contracts with China: Guillaume Faury (n2 of Airbus) "The aircraft will be built in Europe and China". Catalog price € 35bn for 290 A320 CEO and NEO family aircraft and 10 A350 @ Europe1 # airbuspic.twitter.com / 5PbFflPYGS

- Jean-Rémi Baudot (@jrbaudot) March 25, 2019

Macron salutes "an excellent signal"

"The conclusion of a major contract for Airbus is an important step forward and an excellent signal (...) of the strength of exchanges" between China and France, commented President Emmanuel Macron during the signing of the contract during a ceremony at the Élysée. During his visit to Beijing in January 2018, President Macron announced an order for 184 Airbus A320 medium-haul aircraft, which were destined for 13 Chinese airlines. The deal was signed by Airbus Commercial Aircraft president and future Airbus boss Guillaume Faury and CASC president Jia Baojun in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron.

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At the end of January 2019, the Airbus fleet in service with Chinese operators included some 1,730 aircraft, including 1,455 medium-haul aircraft of the A320 family and 17 long-haul aircraft of the A350 XWB family, the latest addition to the Airbus range.