PURCHASE OF 10 BOEING 737

Air China Ld 13 February 2006 The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited takes no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss whatsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. (a joint stock limited company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with limited liability) (Stock Code: 753) DISCLOSEABLE TRANSACTION: PURCHASE OF 10 BOEING 737 AIRCRAFT On 17 January 2006 the Company and AIE entered into the Boeing Aircraft Purchase Agreement with Boeing Company, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to purchase 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Boeing Company. The Transaction constitutes a discloseable transaction of the Company under the Listing Rules. BOEING AIRCRAFT PURCHASE AGREEMENT On 17 January 2006 the Company and AIE entered into the Boeing Aircraft Purchase Agreement with Boeing Company, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to purchase 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Boeing Company. The details of the Transaction are summarized as follows: Date of the Transaction: 17 January 2006 Parties to the Transaction: (i) the Company, as the purchaser, the principal business activity of which is air passenger, air cargo and airline-related services; (ii) AIE, as the import agent for the Company; and (iii) Boeing Company, as the vendor, one of whose principal business activity is aircraft manufacturing. The Company confirms that, to the best of the Directors' knowledge, information and belief having made all reasonable enquiry, Boeing Company and each of the ultimate beneficial owner of Boeing Company are independent third parties and not connected persons (as defined in the Listing Rules) of the Company. Aircraft to be acquired: Boeing Aircraft, i.e. 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft Consideration: The aircraft basic price comprises the airframe price, optional features prices and engine price. The aircraft basic price of the Boeing Aircraft in aggregate is US$655.2 million. The airframe price is subject to price escalation by applying a formula. Boeing has granted to the Company price concessions with regard to the Boeing Aircraft. These will take the form of credit memoranda which may be used by the Company towards the purchase of the Boeing Aircraft or spare parts, goods and services or may be used towards the final delivery invoice payment of the Boeing Aircraft. Such credit memoranda were determined after arm's length negotiations between the parties and as a result, the actual consideration for the Boeing Aircraft is lower than the aircraft basic price mentioned above. The Boeing Aircraft Purchase Agreement was signed pursuant to an umbrella agreement entered into between Boeing Company and the China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group Corporation in November 2005. The aircraft acquisition agreement dated 8 August 2005 (the 2005 Aircraft Purchase) entered into between the Company and Boeing Company was signed pursuant to an umbrella agreement entered into between Boeing Company and the airline companies including the Company in January 2005. The purchase of the Boeing Aircraft was not in contemplation at the time of the 2005 Aircraft Purchase. Accordingly, the Transaction and the 2005 Aircraft Purchase are not part of the same series of transactions and are not treated as if they were one transaction and these transactions are not required to be aggregated for the relevant classification of the Transaction pursuant to Rule 14.22. As the relevant percentage ratio under Rule 14.07 of the Listing Rules for the Transaction is more than 5% but less than 25%, the Transaction on its own constitutes a discloseable transaction, and is therefore not subject to approval by the Company's shareholders under the Listing Rules. The current disclosure on the aggregate value of aircraft basic price is under review by the Company and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Company may make further disclosure in respect of the disclosure of the consideration for the Boeing Aircraft by way of an announcement. Payment and delivery terms: The aggregate consideration for the acquisition of Boeing Aircraft is payable by cash in instalments. The Company is expecting to take delivery of the Boeing Aircraft in stages from end 2007 to end 2008. Source of funding: The Transaction will be funded through cash generated from the Company's business operations, commercial bank loans, other debt instruments of the Company and subject to the completion of the proposed A share issue as set out in the announcement by the Company dated 9 February 2006, the proceeds from the A share issue. REASONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF THE TRANSACTION The Boeing Aircraft will expand the fleet capacity of the Company and will principally reinforce Beijing's position as a transportation hub and increase frequency of flights, departing originally from Beijing, of a number of key domestic flight courses. The Company expects the Boeing Aircraft will deliver more cost-efficient performance and provide more comfortable services to passengers. Although the Boeing Aircraft was purchased with other aircrafts under a package acquisition plan, which is coordinated by the NDRC, the decision to purchase the Boeing Aircraft was made independently by the Company. The negotiations under the acquisition plan were done as a package to increase bargaining power. The Directors believe that the terms of the Transaction are fair and reasonable and in the interests of the shareholders of the Company as a whole. FURTHER INFORMATION The Company shall, pursuant to the Listing Rules, dispatch a circular containing the information required under the Listing Rules in relation to the Transaction within 21 days after the publication of this announcement. DEFINITION In this announcement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 'AIE' Air China Group Import and Export Trading Co., a company incorporated in the People's Republic of China and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company 'Boeing Aircraft' 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to be purchased by the Company pursuant to the Boeing Aircraft Purchase Agreement 'Boeing Aircraft the aircraft purchase agreement dated 17 January Purchase 2006 pursuant to which the Company has agreed to Agreement' purchase and Boeing Company has agreed to sell the Boeing Aircraft 'Boeing Company' Boeing Company, a company incorporated in Delaware of the United States 'Company' Air China Limited, a company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with primary listing on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and secondary listing on the Official List of the UK Listing Authority 'Director(s)' the director(s) of the Company 'Hong Kong Stock The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited Exchange' 'Listing Rules' The Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited 'NDRC' the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China 'Transaction' the acquisition by the Company of the Boeing Aircraft pursuant to the Boeing Aircraft Purchase Agreement By order of the Board Air China Limited Zheng Baoan Li Man Kit Joint Company Secretaries Beijing, 10 February 2006 As at the date of this announcement, the Directors of the Company are Messrs Li Jiaxiang, Kong Dong, Wang Shixiang, Yao Weiting, Ma Xulun, Cai Jianjiang, Fan Cheng, Hu Hung Lick, Henry*, Wu Zhipan* and Zhang Ke*. * Independent non-executive Director of the Company This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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