Aerospace giant Boeing confirmed Friday that China has committed to purchasing 200 aircraft during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing — a deal that could eventually expand to as many as 750 additional planes, reports AFP.
“We had a very successful trip to China and accomplished our major goal of reopening the China market to orders for Boeing aircraft,” the company said in a statement. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg was part of the US delegation to China.
The company described the agreement as “an initial commitment for 200 aircraft” and said it expects further orders to follow, though it did not specify which aircraft models were included in the negotiations. Boeing declined to provide additional details when asked by AFP.
Boeing also thanked the Trump administration “for making this milestone happen,” adding that it now looks forward to meeting China’s growing demand for commercial aircraft.
In its latest 20-year commercial aviation forecast, Boeing projected that roughly 44,000 new aircraft will be needed worldwide by 2044 to replace aging fleets and meet rising travel demand. Nearly half of that demand is expected to come from China, South Asia and Southeast Asia — a major opportunity for Boeing as it competes with European rival Airbus.
China’s last major Boeing order came during Trump’s first visit to Beijing in 2017, when Chinese buyers agreed to purchase 300 single-aisle and wide-body aircraft in a deal valued at about $37 billion.
Speaking Thursday in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said China planned to order “200 big ones.”
Later, speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested the agreement could eventually become “the largest order ever,” saying China had promised up to 750 aircraft if the initial arrangement proved successful.
US media have reported for months that Beijing was preparing a major Boeing order that could include around 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, along with roughly 100 larger Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 777 jets.
China was the last country to clear the 737 MAX for service after two deadly crashes involving Lion Air in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines in 2019 killed 346 people.
The 737 MAX was grounded globally for 20 months. Flights resumed in the United States in late 2020 and in Europe in early 2021, but China did not allow the aircraft back into service until 2023.
Beijing suspended Boeing deliveries in 2019 before gradually reopening the market. Deliveries of 787 Dreamliners resumed in December 2023, followed by 737 MAX deliveries in early 2024. Chinese regulators briefly paused deliveries again in mid-2024 over lithium battery concerns affecting several aircraft models.
Boeing — the largest US exporter by dollar value — was also affected by trade tensions after Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. Beijing responded to US tariffs by blocking Chinese companies from placing new Boeing orders or accepting previously ordered aircraft.
The two countries later reached a trade truce, allowing Boeing to resume regular business with Chinese airlines and leasing companies.
As of last month, Boeing’s order backlog stood at 6,814 aircraft, including 4,371 737 MAX jets, with an estimated total value of about $600 billion.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
