European manufacturer Airbus has reached a $35bn deal for the delivery of 300 passenger aircraft to Chinese airlines.

China Aviation Supplies (CAS) has signed a general terms agreement (GTA) with the planemaker. The GTA was signed in Paris between Airbus Commercial Aircraft president and future Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and CAS chairman Jia Baojun, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The agreement includes 290 A320 family aircraft and ten A350 XWB family aircraft.

Faury said: “We are honoured to support the growth of China’s civil aviation with our leading aircraft families – single-aisle and widebodies. Our expanding footprint in China demonstrates our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners.”

According to the company’s China market forecast from 2018 to 2037, China will require around 7,400 new passenger and freighters aircraft over the next two decades.

“Our expanding footprint in China demonstrates our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners.”

A total of 1,730 Airbus aircraft were in service with Chinese carriers as of this January. The fleet included 1,455 A320 and 17 A350 XWB aircraft.

The A320 is a single-aisle aircraft with nearly 14,600 ordered and more than 8,600 delivered aircraft.

Since its launch in 2010, more than 100 customers worldwide have placed orders for nearly 6,500 A320neo aircraft.

The A320neo offers environmental benefits with almost 50% noise reduction compared with the previous generation aircraft.

The wide-body aircraft A350 XWB is a modern, eco-efficient aircraft that is designed to provide operational flexibility and efficiency that enable a 25% reduction in fuel burns and emissions.

The aircraft features between 300 and 400 seats, the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, as well as new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines.

Last week, Taiwanese start-up company Starlux Airlines placed an order for 17 A350 XWB aircraft to expand long-haul services.