President Trump Says China Has Agreed To Buy 200 Boeing Aircraft

President Donald Trump says China has agreed to buy 200 Boeing aircraft, potentially ending one of the most critical sales droughts in the manufacturer’s recent commercial history. Speaking to FOX News, Trump said Boeing had wanted a 150-aircraft deal, but that China had agreed to purchase 200 jets instead.

Reuters reported the comments during Trump’s visit to Beijing, where aircraft, energy, agriculture, and broader US-China trade flows were all part of the diplomatic agenda. At this stage, there has been no confirmed breakdown of aircraft types, although it is expected that the order will be heavily dominated by the resurgent 737 MAX.

We also await clarity on airline customers, delivery years, contract value, and whether the agreement is a firm order, a framework deal, or a political commitment that still needs to be firmed up. Either way, it is excellent news for Boeing, which has been effectively locked out of China since before the MAX crisis.

 What is also not yet clear is whether Trump’s description of “large aircraft” means anything specific. In aviation terms, this would suggest widebodies such as the 787 or 777X. But in Trump-speak, it could simply mean commercial aircraft. Previous Chinese bulk aircraft purchases from the two major manufacturers have generally been dominated by narrowbodies, especially 737-family and Airbus A320-family aircraft, with widebodies making up a far smaller component.