Entrepreneurs led by visiting French President Jacques Chirac have clinched over 20 deals with Chinese partners in Beijing Saturday evening. The billions of US dollars worth contracts include sale of 26 Airbus aircrafts, train technology and equipment transfer.

China orders 26 Airbus aircrafts

Flag carrier Air China ordered six A319s, which are scheduled for delivery in 2005. The carrier plans to deploy the aircraft mainly on Chengdu-Lhasa and other routes linking high-altitude airports in Sichuan province and Tibet in southwest China.

"With its outstanding performance, the A319 is an aircraft suitable for our operations at high-altitude airports. It fits our strategic development in the western region of China perfectly," said Ma Xulun, president of Air China. "We will also benefit from the A319's similarity with our A320s, which will help us reduce training and maintenance costs, and increase our operational flexibility."

China Eastern Airlines and Airbus also signed a contract for the purchase of 20 A330-300 aircraft. "The purchase of the 20 A330-300s will satisfy the needs of China's strategic development and accommodate growing aviation market demand," said Luo Chaogeng, president of China Eastern Airlines. "Introduction of the aircraft will enlarge our fleet and give a boost to our growth."

The twin-engine A330 combines some of the lowest operating costs of any aircraft ever designed with maximum flexibility for a wide range of route structures. The A330-300, which first entered service in early 1994, seats around 300 passengers.

Airbus's business in China has been steadily expanding since it first entered the country in 1985. The Airbus fleet in service in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has grown to more than 250 today from just 29 in 1995. A world-class training and support center, which represents a US$80 million investment by Airbus, is fully operational in Beijing. Five Chinese companies are already involved in producing parts for Airbus aircraft.

Alstom wins US$1.3b contracts

French heavy engineering company Alstom has signed contracts in China worth up to one billion euro (US$1.3 billion), for the delivery of trains.

Alstom also inked a letter of intent to sell nearly 360 million euro's worth of hydroelectric turbines and pumping equipment to Hubei, Henan and Guangdong provinces.
 
Alstom says they will invest further in China despite a recent financial crisis that led to a 2.2-billion-euro bailout program. The French government now holds a 21 percent stake in the company.

(Xinhua, CRI October 10, 2004)