120 Airbus Aicraft To Be Ordered

China is ordering up to 120 additional aircraft from Airbus as part of a deepening of the future aircraft backlog for airlines operating through Asia.

The announcement came from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who travelled to Beijing to deepen ties between his country and China, part of an agenda centred on new commercial aircraft.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Merz said that the Chinese leadership indicated it would proceed with a sizeable order for Airbus planes, comprising around 120 aircraft, to demonstrate how imperative the next era of travel is.

Merz also highlights how these trips to locations such as China can be incredibly valuable, with crucial trade deals, such as those for aircraft, being locked down amid great global uncertainty and the persistent threat of geopolitical tensions.

If Germany and China can sign deals such as these and enhance strategic communications and mutual trust, this is better for all parties, as part of the many discussions held.

At this stage, specifics on the aircraft ordered, as well as the receipt or delivery window, remain unclear as talks continue to finalise the deal, but the word on the new deal is positive.

This deal for 120 aircraft, not a newly reported one, first saw progress made in 2025. In December 2025, it was reported that Airbus was working closely with China to get something over the line, but it had yet to do so formally.

China’s Long Rumoured Airbus Order

China’s long-rumoured commitment to up to 500 Airbus aircraft, aside from the 120, has been a prominent talking point in the industry for many years now, first emerging over a couple of years ago when state media and analysts speculated on the figure.

The push for 500 aircraft came amid a requirement for fleet modernisation and for Airbus to support that future for the business, with the view to splitting the order into multiple avenues so that as many key Chinese airlines as possible could benefit from the acquisition of new planes.

The deal for 500 aircraft has yet to be formally announced, driven by the ever-so-sensitive trade discussions between China and countries in the West, making it harder to get over the line than a typical deal between Western countries.

At the very least, Airbus must secure a large share of the orders; it knows competition is increasing from the likes of COMAC, a Chinese-made planemaker attempting to shift the dominance enjoyed by Airbus and Boeing, at least locally.

With China and Boeing also continuing to have their regular tensions, there is even more pressure than normal for the European manufacturer to get a deal over the line so it can make inroads on its competitors in what is always a challenging market.