Image copyright Reuters Image caption Airbus boss Fabrice Bregier shakes hands with Chinese official Li Hai in Paris

European aviation giant Airbus has signed a deal to supply 70 jets, worth more than $10bn (£6bn), to China's state-owned purchasing agency.

The deal had been on hold because of a row between the EU and outside countries over carbon emissions tax on flights.

The breakthrough came during a state visit to France by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

The order includes 27 long-haul A330s and 43 smaller A320 planes.

China also signed a new 10-year agreement allowing Airbus to continue building planes in the northern city of Tianjin until 2025.

Earlier, Airbus' helicopter division announced a deal to provide 1,000 civilian helicopters to China over the next 20 years.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The order includes 27 long-haul Airbus A330s

The three biggest European economies, Germany, France and the UK, have all been clamouring to improve their trade links with China.

Last year, France had a trade deficit with China of about 26bn euros (£22bn), which accounts for approximately 40% of France's total foreign trade deficit.

French president Francois Hollande told his Chinese counterpart that he wanted to "re-balance trade between our two countries".

Aerospace already accounts for 29% of French exports to China.

A fifth of Airbus's global production takes place on the Chinese mainland.

China and France also signed 50 trade agreements in a number of other areas, including the nuclear, financial and automotive sectors.