The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) has called on Qantas to give a guarantee it would not send its maintenance operations to China.

AMWU says that by sending the jobs offshore, it is endangering the company's world-class safety record.

AMWU National Secretary, Doug Cameron, said Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon needed to respond immediately to reports that 2,500 jobs could be cut by the national carrier.

"Qantas has to decide whether it wants to remain the Spirit of Australia or become the Spirit of China.," said Cameron.