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China Gives Go-ahead for Purchase of 36 Boeing Aircraft -- Report
China has given five local airlines permission to buy a total of 36 Boeing 737 aircraft with a combined price tag of US$2 billion, the Asian Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The permission, which was given last week, reflected improving relations between China and the United States, culminating in US Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Beijing in late July, the paper said, quoting unnamed airline officials.
The five companies that will be allowed to buy the aircraft include flag carrier Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines, the paper said.
Separate from the order of 36 Boeing aircraft, China's state development planning commission has also given the go-ahead for Air China to acquire four 737-800s, according to the paper.
Boeing's office in Beijing declined to confirm or deny the report, saying it is usual company policy to let the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) be the first to make order announcements.
"It would be totally inappropriate for us to comment on the report," said Tom McLean, spokesman for Boeing China Inc. "It's up to the CAAC to make this kind of announcement."
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