Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet Air has announced a deal to purchase 20 additional Airbus A330-900 widebody aircraft, doubling its previous order in a move valued at around $8 billion.

The agreement was signed on Monday in Hanoi by Vietjet chairwoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, with French President Emmanuel Macron present during his official visit to Vietnam.

The new order follows Vietjet’s initial purchase of 20 A330-900s in February last year. The airline says the expansion will support its regional growth and pave the way for future long-haul flights to Europe.

“The A330s will allow us to increase flights on high-capacity routes across the Asia-Pacific region and launch long-haul services to Europe,” Vietjet said in a statement.

Vietjet currently operates a fleet of 115 Airbus aircraft, including seven A330-300s flying to Australia, India, and Kazakhstan. The carrier also has 96 A320 single-aisle jets on order.

“Vietjet remains dedicated to delivering greater connectivity and sustainable air travel for millions of passengers in Vietnam and around the world,” Thao said.

The deal is one of several expected during Macron’s visit, which aims to bolster trade and business ties between France and its former colony.