Airbus Secures Another Major Order from China, Totalling 386 Aircraft Since Macron's Visit
Airbus has secured another major order from China, with China Southern Airlines announcing the purchase of 137 A320 NEO series aircraft. Since French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China late last year, the total number of Airbus aircraft purchased by China has reached 386.
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- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 17:22
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Central News Agency
(Taipei, April 30, Central News Agency) European Airbus has once again received a major order from China. China Southern Airlines announced last night that it has signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase 137 A320 NEO series aircraft. Since French President Emmanuel Macron visited China late last year, the total number of Airbus aircraft purchased by China has accumulated to 386.
According to reports from Chinese media First Financial and The Paper, China Southern Airlines announced on the evening of the 29th that to actively grasp development opportunities and optimize its fleet structure, China Southern Airlines and its controlling subsidiary Xiamen Airlines have respectively signed agreements with Airbus to purchase 102 A320 NEO series aircraft and 35 A320 NEO series aircraft.
The announcement states that the total value of this large order of 137 aircraft from China Southern Airlines to Airbus is 21.378 billion US dollars.
Public information shows that this is the largest order for civil aircraft purchased by China in the past four years, second only to the joint purchase of 292 aircraft in July 2022 by China's three major airlines—Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines—which also purchased A320 NEO series aircraft from Airbus at that time.
Macron visited China in early December 2025 and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Foreign media reported at the time that Airbus received orders after its CEO Guillaume Faury accompanied Macron on his visit to China, marking a significant victory for the European manufacturer in one of the world's largest aviation markets.
After Macron's visit to China, Spring Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Air China, China Express Airlines, China Aircraft Leasing Group, and China Eastern Airlines successively announced signing aircraft purchase agreements with Airbus. China Southern Airlines is the seventh.
The report states that in recent years, Airbus has continuously received large orders in China. By 2025, Airbus's market share in China surpassed its competitor American Boeing, reaching 55%; China has been Airbus's largest single-country market for many consecutive years.
The Trump-Xi meeting is expected to take place in Beijing in mid-May. According to Reuters, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said on the 22nd that Boeing is counting on the Trump administration to help the company secure a long-awaited major order from China; he frankly stated that without government support, it is unlikely to see any major orders from China in the near future. (Editors: Yang Sheng-ju / Chou Hui-ying) 1150430
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(Taipei, April 30, Central News Agency) European Airbus has once again received a major order from China. China Southern Airlines announced last night that it has signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase 137 A320 NEO series aircraft. Since French President Emmanuel Macron visited China late last year, the total number of Airbus aircraft purchased by China has accumulated to 386.
According to reports from Chinese media First Financial and The Paper, China Southern Airlines announced on the evening of the 29th that to actively grasp development opportunities and optimize its fleet structure, China Southern Airlines and its controlling subsidiary Xiamen Airlines have respectively signed agreements with Airbus to purchase 102 A320 NEO series aircraft and 35 A320 NEO series aircraft.
The announcement states that the total value of this large order of 137 aircraft from China Southern Airlines to Airbus is 21.378 billion US dollars.
Public information shows that this is the largest order for civil aircraft purchased by China in the past four years, second only to the joint purchase of 292 aircraft in July 2022 by China's three major airlines—Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines—which also purchased A320 NEO series aircraft from Airbus at that time.
Macron visited China in early December 2025 and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Foreign media reported at the time that Airbus received orders after its CEO Guillaume Faury accompanied Macron on his visit to China, marking a significant victory for the European manufacturer in one of the world's largest aviation markets.
After Macron's visit to China, Spring Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Air China, China Express Airlines, China Aircraft Leasing Group, and China Eastern Airlines successively announced signing aircraft purchase agreements with Airbus. China Southern Airlines is the seventh.
The report states that in recent years, Airbus has continuously received large orders in China. By 2025, Airbus's market share in China surpassed its competitor American Boeing, reaching 55%; China has been Airbus's largest single-country market for many consecutive years.
The Trump-Xi meeting is expected to take place in Beijing in mid-May. According to Reuters, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said on the 22nd that Boeing is counting on the Trump administration to help the company secure a long-awaited major order from China; he frankly stated that without government support, it is unlikely to see any major orders from China in the near future. (Editors: Yang Sheng-ju / Chou Hui-ying) 1150430
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force protecting press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.