Aircraft manufacturer Boeing will make its first major sale to China in nearly a decade with an order for 200 planes, President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday, a deal he said had been made during his summit with China’s President Xi Jinping this week and that could grow to as many as 750 planes.
The White House has not released details of the deal, and the company itself has not commented. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg had joined Trump for the trip to Beijing, one of a large group of CEOs seeking to sell products and services to China. For Boeing, the deal would mark a significant breakthrough in a market that was once central to its long-term growth.
Trump also said the deal would benefit General Electric, which he said would supply 400 to 450 engines. General Electric did not immediately comment on the agreement.
Last month, Ortberg signaled confidence that any broader U.S.-China agreement would include aircraft purchases, telling investors he expected Trump’s meeting with Xi to be a “meaningful opportunity” for Boeing.
Ortberg took over in 2024, a calamitous year for Boeing as it came under intensifying scrutiny over production and quality failures and faced mounting financial pressure. In January 2024, a panel known as a door plug blew off a 737 Max shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, renewing scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing practices.
Months later, the U.S. Justice Department revived a criminal case against Boeing tied to the two fatal Max crashes, although prosecutors later reached an agreement with Boeing to dismiss the case, committing the company to an additional $1.1 billion in fines, compensation for victims’ families and internal safety and quality improvements.
Then an eight-week strike stretching through the fall by machinists who assemble the 737 Max in Washington state disrupted production and added to the company’s financial strain.
—- Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Barrow reported from Atlanta.
