China has confirmed plans to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft following last week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking a major breakthrough in trade ties between the world’s two largest economies.
China’s Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday that the United States would also provide supply guarantees for aircraft engine parts and related aviation components under the agreement.
The announcement came days after Trump wrapped up a high profile visit to China that produced several trade pledges, including broader market access for American farmers and fresh negotiations aimed at easing tariffs between Washington and Beijing.
“We made a lot of great trade deals, including over 200 planes for Boeing, with a promise of 750 planes, which would be by far the largest order ever,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving China on Friday.
Boeing later confirmed the agreement and described it as a major step toward reopening the Chinese market to aircraft orders after years of trade tensions and regulatory uncertainty.
“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.
“This included an initial commitment for 200 aircraft and we expect further commitments will follow after this initial tranche,” it added.
Tariff Truce Back in Focus
China’s Commerce Ministry also said both countries would work toward extending the tariff truce first agreed in October 2025. Officials from Washington and Beijing are now discussing tariff reductions covering goods worth more than $30 billion on each side.
The October agreement emerged after negotiations in Kuala Lumpur ahead of a Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea later that month. The deal reduced some US tariffs on Chinese goods while Beijing paused restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals and magnets that are critical for industries including electronics, electric vehicles and defence manufacturing.
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Analysts say the Boeing order signals a broader effort by both governments to stabilise economic relations despite ongoing geopolitical rivalry.
The agreement also carries symbolic importance for Boeing, which struggled for years to secure major Chinese orders amid worsening US-China relations and competition from Europe’s Airbus.
Business Leaders Join Diplomatic Push
Trump’s delegation to China included some of America’s biggest corporate leaders. Boeing Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg travelled alongside Tesla chief Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
The presence of top executives highlighted Washington’s growing push to strengthen commercial ties with Beijing despite tensions over technology, semiconductors and national security.
The announcement also coincided with Xi Jinping’s talks in Beijing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underlining China’s efforts to balance its economic relationship with the United States while maintaining close strategic ties with Moscow.
Industry experts say China’s aviation demand remains one of the world’s largest growth markets, making future Boeing sales critical for the US aerospace giant’s long term recovery.