China Eastern Airlines (CEA) has taken delivery of its first directly purchased Boeing 737-700, company sources said Sunday.

The company's newest 737-700 is the second of 11 such planes the airline will be acquiring through to June 2003. Four of the 737-700s will be bought outright while seven are to be leased fromtwo companies, six from the International Lease Finance Corporation and one from Boullioun Aviation Services.

The new 737-700 has 134 seats, including eight first-class and 126 economy class seats.

"The delivery of this 737-700 marks another milestone in the partnership between CEA and Boeing," said Larry Dickenson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' senior vice-president of sales. "We are proud of the relationship we have with China Eastern and look forward to continuing working to bring people together as China develops its domestic aviation network."

Established in 1987, CEA has now expanded its fleet to 70 airplanes with route networks extending throughout Asia, Australia,Europe and the United States.

( Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2002)