GE Aerospace reported on Friday that they have signed sales and service deals worth more than $12.9 billion in China during the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. GE said it signed more deals at this year’s expo than ever before. The agreements cover aircraft engines, spare parts and long-term support.
GE Aerospace is a US based world-leading engine maker, it provides jet and turboprop engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial, military, business, and general aviation.
The major deal is signed with China Eastern Airlines. The airline plans to buy 202 LEAP-1A engines for 101 new Airbus A320neo-family planes. The agreement also includes extra engines and long-term maintenance services. But, GE has not shared the deal’s value or when it will deliver the engines.
GE also signed a separate deal with China Eastern for 14 spare engines. The order includes LEAP-1A, LEAP-1C and CFM56-7B models. LEAP-1A engines power Airbus A320neo-family planes. LEAP-1C engines are used in China’s COMAC C919 jet, while CFM56-7B engines power Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft.
China Eastern and CFM International have a long business history. CFM International is a joint company owned equally by GE Aerospace and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines. It produces two main types of aircraft engines called LEAP and CFM56. LEAP engines power the Airbus A320neo family, Boeing 737 MAX and COMAC C919.
According to GE, LEAP engines use around 15 percent less fuel than older CFM56 engines. They also produce less noise and pollution. Lower fuel use can help airlines reduce their costs. Extra engines and repair services also help airlines keep their planes in service when engines need maintenance.
China Eastern already operates a large number of Airbus planes. Airbus reported that the airline had 393 A320-family aircraft in its collection by the end of August 2026. In September, China Eastern received delivery of the first A320-family jet built at Airbus’ second assembly plant in Tianjin. The new engine order will help the airline expand its A320neo collection.
GE also signed agreements with MTU Maintenance Zhuhai to supply parts and repair aircraft engines. Non of them shared the details about the deal’s value or duration. MTU Maintenance Zhuhai is jointly owned by Germany’s MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines.
The Zhuhai facility provides engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services. MTU says its main site can handle up to 450 engine services every year. They opened a second facility in Jinwan in March 2025 to handle another type of engine. MTU has completed more than 5,000 engine services and serves over 130 customers worldwide.
The ninth China International Import Expo opened in Shanghai on November 5 and and will continue until November 10. This annual event connects international companies with Chinese buyers and business partners. This year’s expo has 4,142 international exhibitors and covers more than 440,000 square meters.
For now, China Eastern has not released a separate statement about the deal. GE has also not explained how the $12.9 billion total is divided among its customers and contracts. The figure covers its sales and service deals in China during the expo, not just the China Eastern engine order.
