Feb.15 - The Chinese mainland will need 3,000 aircraft over the next 20 years, John Leahy, Airbus's chief operating officer, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The figure includes 2,650 passenger planes, worth a total of 289 billion U.S. dollars, as the number of passenger planes in service will increase from 760 in 2005 to 2,700 in 2025, he predicted.

Meanwhile, the mainland's air cargo transport will increase six times by 2025, creating the demand for 400 new cargo planes.

The mainland's domestic and international air cargo transport will grow at average annual rates of 10.9 percent and 8.9 percent respectively over the next 20 years, he said.

Airbus expects to provide the mainland with 50 percent of its aircraft in 2011.

The European aircraft giant's market share on the mainland has grown from seven percent in 1995 to the current 35 percent.