Airbus has announced a lighter variant of its A330, with an aim to supply China for domestic and international flights.

It was announced by president and chief executive officer of the company Fabrice Bregier during Aviation Expo China 2013 in Beijing.

The new aircraft will have a lower fuel burn per seat ratio, as well as cheaper maintenance leading to an overall reduction of 15 per cent in expenses.

Mr Bregier said: "We are announcing the A330-300 lower weight variant today in China because here we see strong pent-up demand for efficient and reliable wide-body aircraft connecting mega cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou."

The influx of such aircraft could help the rising demand for China's air travel needs - Airbus stated it considered the country to be one of the most crucial markets for efficient aircraft. It has recently reported purchases of its A320 by at least two Chinese airlines.