BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Beijing and Washington are in talks over a potential trade agreement that could see China order hundreds of Boeing aircraft.
The purchase, reportedly involving as many as 500 jets, is being considered as part of a broader deal between the world's two largest economies, though the outcome depends on progress in wider negotiations.
Boeing orders have increasingly become a bargaining chip in trade diplomacy, with countries such as Qatar, Japan, and the U.K. pledging to buy U.S. planes as part of bilateral agreements. For China, however, the talks are more complex, spanning disputes over tariffs, critical minerals, and access to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence chips.
The timeline for any Boeing agreement remains uncertain, hinging on the pace of broader trade talks. Boeing, meanwhile, faces its own challenges. The company is still working through a backlog of more than 100 undelivered jets for Chinese customers and must clear that inventory before adding new commitments.
Earlier this year, Chinese airlines froze fresh Boeing orders amid tariff concerns, only resuming deliveries after a temporary truce in trade terms.
Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg recently noted that Boeing continues to hold dozens of 737 aircraft built before 2023 for Chinese airlines, with efforts underway to reduce that inventory and wind down a 'shadow factory' for reworked jets.
The talks, if successful, could mark one of Boeing's largest single deals and signal a thaw in U.S.-China trade relations after years of turbulence.
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