Ｗｉｔｈ ＵＳ＄５ Ｂｉｌｌｉｏｎ，Ｃｈｉｎａ Ｐｕｒｃｈａｓｅｓ４２ Ｂｏｅｉｎｇ Ｐｌａｎｅｓ

On August 8， Air China， ChinaEastern Airlines， ShanghaiAirlines， Xiamen Airlines signedthe final Purchase agreement of 42 Boeingplanes with Boeing. The price in catalogueis US$5.04 billion. The first plane will bedelivered in 2008.

Zhang Xiaoqiang， Assistant Directorof National Development and ReformCommission， said on the agreement sign-ing ceremony that the subscription of theagreement is an important step for theSino-US enterprises' in introducing in newstyle plane and also indicates the goodprospect for the Sino-US economicalcooperation. China is the biggest devel-oping country and the economical growthbrings forward a higher requirement forthe sustained and fast development of civilaviation industry.

Last year， the growth rate of Chi-nese aviation passenger transport is 36%and the growth will be above 10% in thecoming years. China will be the secondbiggest market for global civil passengerplanes. Li Jun， deputy director of GeneralAdministration of Civil Aviation of China，said that China will import more largeplanes. General Administration of CivilAviation of China will strengthen the se-curity management， the arrangement ofairlines and attestation to flying suitability.Among the 42 planes， there are 15 for AirChina， 15 for China Eastern Airlines， 9for Shanghai Airlines and 3 for XiamenAirlines.

On the Boeing side， the company isstriving for the agreement of another 18Boeing 787 planes. It is believed that theagreement will be reached in the near fu-ture for that is part of China's promise forpurchasing.