Even for a China watcher, these numbers are incredible.

From Boeing (who is in the business of knowing):

China will require 3,400 new airplanes worth about $340 billion over the next 20 years, according to The Boeing Company's updated annual forecast for the commercial airplane market. The complete forecast, known as the Boeing Current Market Outlook which is available on the Boeing Web Site.

Over the forecast period, China will have the fastest-growing market, making it the largest market outside of the U.S. for new commercial airplanes.

China will continue leading all domestic air travel markets with a long-term passenger-kilometer growth rate of 8.8 percent. Following the anticipated surge in passenger traffic for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the China domestic market will grow nearly five-fold by 2026 to become slightly larger than today's intra-North American market.

With the continued high rate of growth for China air travel and air cargo markets, China's fleet will nearly quadruple to 4,460 airplanes by the end of the forecast period — 2026.

..."China domestic frequencies have increased more than sixteen-fold since 1990 while airplane sizes have remained about the same," said Randy Tinseth, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president, Marketing.

Air-travel growth between China and North America as well as between China and Europe will more than double in size during the next 20 years, and the number of city pairs will more than triple.

... Worldwide, Boeing projects investments of $2.8 trillion for 28,600 new commercial airplanes to be delivered during the next 20 years....