FARNBOROUGH, July 17, 2008 (AFP) - US aircraft giant Boeing announced on Thursday a 6.3-billion-dollar (four-billion-euro) deal at catalogue prices to sell 30 medium-haul 737s and 15 long-haul 777s to state-owned Air China.

'These airplanes are the most fuel efficient in their classes,' said Kong Dong, chairman of Air China, the second largest commercial airline in China.

'The 777-300ER will be the backbone of our long-haul international fleet and the new 737-800 will support our hub build-up and our company's domestic strategy,' he said.