The Chinese government intends to place an incremental order of up to 120 jets from Airbus, German chancellor Friedrich Merz announced during a state visit to Beijing on February 25, 2026. The specific aircraft types, delivery schedules, and the financial value of the prospective agreement remain unknown.
"The Chinese leadership will be ordering a larger number of additional aircraft from Airbus. The total order will include up to 120 additional aircraft," Merz told reporters after a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
The central government in China typically purchases aircraft from Airbus and Boeing in bulk before distributing them among its state-owned carriers. Chinese government-controlled airlines include Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, among others.
The pending purchase follows a series of Airbus orders from Chinese aviation companies at the end of 2025. Air China and CALC placed orders for sixty A321-200Ns and thirty A320-200Ns, respectively, Spring Airlines placed a firm order of up to thirty A320neo Family aircraft, while Juneyao Air placed twenty-five of the type.
According to ch-aviation data, over thirty Chinese airlines currently operate Airbus aircraft, ranging from A319-100s to A350-900s. Airbus operates an A320neo final assembly line in Tianjin.
