China Southern Airlines has placed an order with Boeing for 80 aircraft comprising 30 next generation 737s and fifty 737 Max for a combined value of $8.38 billion at current list prices.

"China Southern's commitment is a solid endorsement of the popularity of the Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Northeast Asia Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in a statement.

In addition to it, China Southern Airlines' Xiamen Airlines unit will buy thirty 737 MAX models valued at US$2.88 billion, it said in a separate statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange, reports Channel News Asia.

The $10 billion comes within days of the country's budget carrier Spring Airlines announced plans to buy 60 aircraft from Airbus, valued at $6.3 billion at list prices.

China Aviation Supplies Holding Group, a state-owned entity, signed a deal with Airbus in October to buy 100 A320 aircraft valued at $9.7 billion at list prices.

CNA reports that the decision to buy aircraft worth $10 billion comes at a time when the China Southern Airlines' chairman, Si Xianmin was investigated by Chinese authorities last month for "severe violations of discipline."