Boeing is changing the Dreamliner's model number

The order is the largest to date for the mid-sized plane, which the US firm also announced would be changing its model number from 7E7 to 787.

Boeing has been vying for orders from China, the world's fastest-growing plane market, with Europe's Airbus.

Airbus, meanwhile, has said it received the first orders from China for its new superjumbo A380 aircraft.

Missed targets

Boeing has been focusing on smaller new aircraft able to fly direct to a wider number of destinations, while its rival is banking on demand for large planes offering cheaper seats between the world's major cities.

But last year it missed its target of 200 firm Dreamliner orders, despite big deals with All Nippon Airlines, Japan Airlines and Continental.

The first Chinese airline to take order of a 787 will be Xiamen in 2008, the year the aircraft is expected to go into service.

China Southern, China Eastern, Air China, Hainan and Shanghai airlines are also set to take delivery of the plane.

The $1bn Airbus order announced on Friday sees it making inroads in the Chinese market long dominated by Boeing.

Airbus said China Southern will take delivery of five of the superjumbo A380 aircraft - a day after Air China agreed to buy 20 of its A330-200 planes.