China Eastern Airlines secures the first deal among central state-owned enterprises at the 8th China International Import Expo! The transaction amount for a one-year exhibition booth sets a new record.
China Airport Light,
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Photo provided by China Eastern Airlines
On November 6, 2025, at the signing ceremony of the central enterprises trading delegation of the 8th China International Import Expo, China Eastern Airlines, as the first central enterprise to sign an agreement, signed 19 procurement agreements with 15 suppliers from 9 countries and regions, totaling US$1.211 billion. Among them, the transaction amount for one-year exhibition booths reached US$330 million, an increase of 23.3% compared to last year, setting a new record for the highest transaction amount for a one-year exhibition booth for China Eastern Airlines at any previous CIIE.
Focusing on its core aviation business, China Eastern Airlines procured cutting-edge technology and equipment,
a diverse range of products in its procurement "shopping cart."
The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) further demonstrated China's firm commitment to openness, integration, and common development with the world. For eight consecutive years, China Eastern has cultivated this open platform with a professional approach, participating in the CIIE for the eighth consecutive time.
At this year's CIIE, China Eastern focused on high-tech products for its core aviation business. The procurement categories revolved around the core needs of the aviation field, covering six major categories: aircraft engines, APU repair, airline catering, aviation materials, aviation fuel, and automotive chassis. The products originated from nine countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong.
Photo: Provided by China Eastern Airlines
At the signing ceremony, China Eastern Airlines and CFM International continued their cooperation, signing a $615 million LEAP-1A engine procurement agreement. The LEAP series engines widely utilize 3D braided composite material manufacturing technology, reducing the weight of each engine by 500 pounds and making the engine fan blades lighter and more durable. Compared to the previous generation of engines, the LEAP series engines reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 15%-20%, providing strong support for China Eastern's fleet upgrade and the achievement of its "dual-carbon" goals. Since the first batch of LEAP-1A engines was delivered to China Eastern in 2018, their superior performance, high reliability, and excellent fuel efficiency have effectively ensured the safe and stable operation of China Eastern's A320NEO fleet.
This "green deal," along with the aircraft parts procurement and maintenance agreement signed with Honeywell, brought China Eastern's total annual booth transactions with exhibitors at this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) to over $330 million, a significant increase from the $270 million at the 7th CIIE, setting a new record.
Building on previous years' CIIE, China Eastern Airlines further explored new models for aircraft materials and fuel support services at this year's CIIE, signing multiple agreements with Lufthansa Technik, Safran Group, and Idemitsu Kosan for aircraft material procurement, repair, and fuel procurement, helping the company reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Deepening economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative,
Creating a new global passenger service experience
In recent years, China Eastern Airlines has adhered to the principle of "flying further afield, flying internationally, and flying to emerging markets," accelerating the recovery and expansion of its international route network. Since 2024, it has launched 23 new medium- and long-haul international routes, including Shanghai to Casablanca, Abu Dhabi, and Almaty. The Shanghai Pudong-Auckland-Buenos Aires route, scheduled to open on December 4, 2025, will become the world's longest route.
Photo: Provided by China Eastern Airlines
The expansion of its international routes has also driven China Eastern Airlines' development and upgrading in the overseas airline catering market. At this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE), China Eastern Airlines precisely connected with high-quality global suppliers, signing airline catering procurement agreements with DNATA from the UAE and SATS from Singapore. Both companies are from countries/regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. This cooperation will not only introduce more high-quality meals incorporating local characteristics to China Eastern's international flights, but also serve as a link to deepen economic and trade ties between China and Belt and Road countries, becoming a beneficial exploration of pragmatic cooperation between Chinese enterprises and suppliers along the Belt and Road. At this year's CIIE, China Eastern continued to strengthen its in-depth cooperation with suppliers from Belt and Road countries, with one-third of its procured products originating from Belt and Road countries/regions, totaling US$160 million.
China Eastern also fully utilized its overseas network of resources, acting as an "invitation ambassador" for the CIIE, widely inviting global enterprises to share the opportunities of this grand event. Honeywell, a Fortune Global 500 company, has participated in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) for eight consecutive years, showcasing its latest achievements in high-tech equipment such as aircraft engines and aviation materials. This serves as a vivid example of China Eastern Airlines' efforts to connect global high-quality resources with the Chinese market.
"Over the past two decades, I have visited China almost every year to see our aviation partners. What impresses me most is the speed of development, expansion, and modernization of China's transportation infrastructure. Collins Aerospace is honored to be a partner of China Eastern during this extraordinary period of growth. We will continue to provide products and services to China Eastern, further strengthen cooperation, and create the next brilliant chapter together," said Joe Patko, Vice President of Global Airline Business at Collins Aerospace, a long-term partner of China Eastern Airlines, at the signing ceremony, reflecting on the partnership with China Eastern.
From building a network of routes to signing agreements at the CIIE, from procurement cooperation to inviting companies, China Eastern uses the CIIE as a fulcrum to build a diversified cooperation platform that combines "bringing in" and "going out," expanding its network and ensuring a long-term path of win-win cooperation.
The Buyer's Corridor Makes its Debut,
Showcasing Eight Years of "Win-Win Cooperation" Achievements
Entering Hall 4.1 of the "Clover" (National Exhibition and Convention Center), the China Eastern Airlines Buyer's Corridor immediately attracts attention. The exhibition area uses a blue and white color scheme, incorporating aircraft curves to visually present the cooperative achievements and innovative cases of China Eastern Airlines and exhibitors at previous CIIEs.
This Buyer's Corridor is a first-time feature of the 8th CIIE, inviting 14 important buyers from various industries, including China Eastern Airlines, to participate. These are all large, influential, and highly motivated state-owned enterprises with strong purchasing power-all frequent participants in the CIIE.
Photo: Provided by China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines is a buyer at the China International Import Expo (CIIE), as well as a "Senior Partner" and "Designated Air Carrier" of the CIIE. Since its inception, it has continuously participated in and supported the CIIE, securing numerous purchase orders year after year. In the buyer's corridor, visitors can review the global cooperation achievements behind these purchase orders, witness the technological innovation behind the C919's operational upgrades, and experience the culinary fusion along the "Belt and Road" routes.
As a "veteran participant" of the CIIE, China Eastern Airlines also fully leverages its advantages as an airline to provide efficient transportation services for global exhibitors and exhibitors. It is reported that since the first CIIE, China Eastern Logistics has handled over 262,000 kilograms of CIIE cargo. At this year's CIIE, China Eastern Logistics will rely on its strong route network and hub airport resources to provide "door-to-door" logistics solutions, ensuring efficient customs clearance and accurate delivery of exhibited goods. China Eastern Airlines has also maintained its "Lingyan" volunteer service team for eight consecutive years, with a total of over 550 volunteers providing etiquette and interpretation services to more than 150,000 people. This year, multilingual services have been added to provide more thoughtful support for exhibitors and visitors.
China Eastern's journey at the CIIE is never a one-off deal; its "CIIE shopping cart" contains not only orders but also a sincere commitment to win-win cooperation. China Eastern's "CIIE journey" is a microcosm of the openness and cooperation in China's civil aviation industry. In the future, China Eastern will continue to use the CIIE as a platform to ensure that more cooperative achievements better benefit the aviation industry chain and passengers' travel experiences.