Airbus and China signed an agreement to look into the possibility of setting up an assembly line in China, a move that could see Airbus jets being built outside Europe for the first time, Reuters reported. The signing took place at the start of Premier Wen Jiabao's trip to France, which is widely expected to see China place an order for 70 A320 single-aisle Airbus aircraft worth US$5 billion. Airbus said it had committed to boost fourfold the value of components it buys from China to US$120 million by 2010. The European company's American rival, Boeing, clinched a 70-jet deal during US President George W Bush's visit to China last month.