Boeing is pursuing one of its largest-ever jet sales to Chinese airlines, with a potential agreement expected to hinge on upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
According to reports from US and Chinese media, the prospective package under discussion could include as many as 500 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbodies and about 100 widebody aircraft. The jets would likely be allocated across multiple Chinese carriers through state-directed purchasing channels, following the pattern of previous China aircraft deals.
Boeing Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg is expected to join Trump as part of a wider US business delegation traveling to China. Ortberg has indicated that closing a large China order will depend heavily on support from the White House, saying in April that the manufacturer does not expect major near-term Chinese orders without active involvement from the US administration.
The potential deal comes after a prolonged pause in new Boeing orders from China, driven by the 737 MAX grounding, the pandemic, and strained US-China relations. Any agreement would require alignment between Boeing, Chinese airlines, Beijing officials and the Trump administration, and industry observers caution that a mega-order remains uncertain despite high expectations around the summit.