China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, the country's largest carrier, said on Monday its board had approved in principle the planned acquisition of 21 new planes from European plane maker Airbus SAS.

The company has yet to sign an agreement with Airbus and details are being finalised, it said in a statement.

China Southern also said its board had also approved the purchase of six planes from Harbin Embraer, the Chinese joint venture of Brazil's Embraer. The list price of each of the Harbin Embraer aircraft is about US$20.1 million, China Southern said.

(China Daily February 2, 2004)