Trump-China trade agreement could include major 500 Boeing plane sale

Aerospace giant Boeing is in talks to sell as many as 500 planes to China in a deal that’s said to be at the center of a trade agreement between President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. 

Boeing, which is in the midst of a turnaround led by CEO Kelly Ortberg, is still working out the details of the sale, such as what types and volume of jet models will be sold as well as the delivery timetables, the people said. However, the deal is still dependent on the two nations easing trade tensions that date back to Trump’s first term in office.

Another issue complicating matters is the fact that Boeing lost its top executive in China, Alvin Liu, in recent weeks, the people said. Carol Shen was tapped to become interim president of Boeing China.

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FOX Business reached out to Boeing for comment. 

The sale to China would finalize a long-awaited deal and, notably, signal a significant thaw in the tense Boeing-China aerospace trade.

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Between 2017–2021, Boeing secured major jet orders from China, which were often tied to high-profile state visits during Trump’s first term. However, China stalled making major purchases largely due to trade tensions and tariffs.

A similar agreement was pursued in 2023 by then-President Joe Biden and Xi but ultimately fell through. If completed, this would be China’s first major purchase of Boeing jets since Trump’s visit during his previous term. 

Shortly after taking office for a second time, Trump moved quickly to impose sweeping tariffs, including a universal 10% import duty and escalated levies. China faced the biggest penalty with levies reaching as high as 145% on Chinese goods for a brief period. Beijing asked that Chinese carriers halt purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from U.S. companies due to the hefty levy in April, though it began resuming purchases in June.

Trump has pursued trade agreements with certain nations. However, a comprehensive deal with China, despite temporary pauses and extensions in tariff negotiations, remains elusive. 

Trump last month said that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s meeting with Chinese officials “went very well” and that he looks forward to meeting with Xi before the end of the year.