Boeing is in discussions with Chinese airlines for a potential order of up to 600 aircraft, including as many as 500 737 MAX narrowbody jets and about 100 widebody aircraft from the 787 Dreamliner and 777X families. The deal, which would mark Boeing’s first major purchase agreement with Chinese carriers in nearly a decade, remains uncertain and depends on support from the Trump administration.
CEO Kelly Ortberg is set to join President Donald Trump’s business delegation to China next week, ahead of Trump’s scheduled meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14-15 in Beijing. Ortberg has stated that without administration involvement, Boeing does not anticipate near-term large orders from China. He noted that concerns over access to critical spare parts have been addressed with Chinese airlines.
The negotiations are part of broader US-China talks covering agriculture, energy, semiconductors, and other issues. Boeing shares rose more than 2% on Thursday, reaching an intraday high of $236.52, as investors reacted to the prospect of the order. Details such as the final size and timing remain unresolved, with multiple Chinese carriers likely to receive the aircraft through state channels.