China today signed a framework agreement to buy an undisclosed number of aircraft from Airbus.
The Toulouse-based plane maker had been hoping to firm up a contract to sell 150 aircraft in a deal that could have been worth more than $15 billion.
In the event, the only firm order announced today was with China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, which is buying 10 twin-aisle A330 aircraft in a deal worth $1.8 billion at list prices.
The deals were signed as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese President Hu Jintao watched.
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China has also agreed to take a 5 per cent risk-sharing stake in the development of the A350.
The $10 billion project is Airbus's attempt to catch up with Boeing's BA787 Dreamliner in the fast-growing mid-sized jetliner market.