An Airbus A320neo lands at Brussels Airport in Zaventem on November 5, 2025. NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
China Eastern Airlines said on Wednesday, March 25, it has signed a $15.8 billion deal to buy 101 Airbus A320neo planes, after Germany's leader signaled during a China visit last month that a purchase had been secured.
Several Western governments have been seeking to boost trade ties with Beijing following sweeping global tariffs imposed last year by US President Donald Trump. China is a key export market for European aircraft, machinery and cars.
Shanghai-based China Eastern, primarily owned by the Chinese government through its parent company, is one of the three largest Chinese airlines. The Airbus aircraft are set to be delivered in batches from 2028 to 2032, according to a statement filed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
China Eastern said it signed the deal with Airbus, Europe's largest aerospace company, in Shanghai. The airline said its purchase was "driven by belief in the future of (China's) civil aviation industry." "The company needs to plan for and reserve fleet capacity," it added.
