Airbus also signed a General Terms of Agreement (GTA) with the China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS), covering the purchase of 160 Airbus commercial aircraft.
Airbus has signed new cooperation agreements with Chinese aviation industry partners during a French state visit to China, marking a significant milestone in the longstanding partnership between the two countries. In addition, Airbus also signed a General Terms of Agreement (GTA) with the China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS), covering the purchase of 160 Airbus commercial aircraft, reflecting the strong demand in all market segments by Chinese carriers.
Over the next 20 years, China’s air traffic is forecast to grow at 5.3% annually, significantly faster than the world average of 3.6%, leading to a demand for 8,420 passenger and freighter aircraft between now and 2041, representing more than 20 percent of the world’s total demand for around 39,500 new aircraft in the next 20 years.
At the signing ceremony, witnessed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury signed an agreement with Tianjin Free Trade Zone Investment Company Ltd. and Aviation Industry Corporation of China Ltd. to expand A320 Family final assembly capacity with a second line at its Tianjin site. This agreement will contribute to Airbus’ overall rate objective of 75 aircraft per month in 2026 throughout its global production network.
“We are honoured to continue our long-standing cooperation by supporting China’s civil aviation growth with our leading families of aircraft. It underpins the positive recovery momentum and prosperous outlook for the Chinese aviation market and the desire to grow sustainably with Airbus’ latest generation, eco-efficient aircraft,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO, Airbus. “Airbus values its partnership with the Chinese aviation stakeholders and we feel privileged to remain a partner of choice in shaping the future of civil aviation in China,” he further added.
In line with its sustainability strategy, Airbus and the China National Aviation Fuel Group (CNAF) also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to intensify Chinese-European cooperation on the production, competitive application, and common standards formulation for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). This new cooperation agreement aims at optimising the SAF supply chain by diversifying the sources and enhancing SAF production towards the ambition of using 10 percent SAF by 2030.
Airbus entered the Chinese market nearly 40 years ago, in 1985, when an A310 was first delivered to China Eastern Airlines. By the end of the first quarter of 2023, the Airbus in-service fleet in China has risen to over 2,100 aircraft, representing more than 50 percent of the market.
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The signing of these agreements further strengthens Airbus’ position in the Chinese aviation market and underscores the company’s commitment to supporting the growth of sustainable aviation in China. The agreements also highlight the importance of international cooperation in the aviation industry and the potential for continued growth and innovation in the years to come.
