BEIJING, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)-- Alstom, a world leader in transport and energy infrastructure, has signed major agreements with China on rail transport and power generation, the company said here Saturday.

    Patrick Kron, CEO of Alstom, signed a letter of intent with Chinese Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun to manufacture the world's most powerful electric freight locomotives.

    The deal was clinched soon after French President Chirac's delegation arrived in Beijing.

    Under the contract, Alstom will deliver 100 locomotives worth 300 million euros, and its Chinese partner Datong Electric Locomotives a further 400 locomotives worth 900 million euros, according to sources with the company.

    The deal concerns "CoCo" (triple axle) locomotives that are based on Alstom Transport's Prima 6000. These locomotives can haul up to 8,000 metric tons at speeds of up to 120 km/74 miles per hour.

    The first 100 locomotives will be designed and produced by Alstom, who will also provide technical training for its partner at its engineering centers in Europe.

    The remaining 400 will be built at the Datong Electric Locomotive site in China. Datong partnered Alstom in a 2005 contract to manufacture 180 twin axle locomotives.

    Alstom has also contracted to supply hydro-electric equipment for pumped storage plants in Hohhot in northern Inner Mongolia, Pushihe in northeast Liaoning, and Longkou hydro plant in Shanxi, worth a total of 100 million euros.

    These orders enhance Alstom's position as a leading hydro-electric equipment supplier with 25 percent of the Chinese market. Alstom has contributed to a number of high-profile projects in China, including the Three Gorges Dam.

    Alstom, which has fifty years of ties with China, is China's leading foreign partner on rail transportation and power generation.

    The group's orders in China for the 2005 and 2006 financial years are worth over 800 million euros.