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The French government and the European planemaker have been
working to salvage the contract since a visit by Macron to China
in January, when he said China would buy 184 Airbus A320
narrow-body jets, an order worth $18 billion at list prices.
Industry sources said Macron returned home empty handed after a
diplomatic gaffe and some of his own separate comments upset
Chinese officials.
Macron sent his prime minister, Edouard Philippe, to Beijing
this weekend partly in a bid to move the negotiations forward.
At a joint news conference, Li said China had long been a large
customer for Airbus aircraft, and noted their joint
manufacturing facility in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
“I explained to Mr Prime minister that in recent years we have
bought quite a lot of passenger aircraft, and there needs to be
a period to digest this. In spite of this, we are still willing
to strengthen cooperation with France’s Airbus,” Li said, adding
China planned to buy lots of planes in 2018.
“We are willing to continue discussing the issue of buying
Airbus aircraft and in due course to sign agreements to buy
Airbus aircraft," Li added.
Philippe said he was glad China had expressed its willingness to
soon firm up its purchase commitment.
State-controlled China Eastern is seeking 150 single-aisle jets
like the Airbus A320 or the competing Boeing <BA.N> 737,
industry sources have said. They also say China's ICBC Financial
Leasing has expressed interest in placing an Airbus order.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing and Richard Lough and
Michel Rose in Paris; writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Luke
Baker and Mark Potter)
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