Boeing nears major jet sale agreement with China amid renewed trade talks

Boeing has not issued any public statements about these reports but saw its shares rise by 2% following news coverage, indicating investor confidence in the potential deal.

Industry observers note that if finalized, this transaction could have implications beyond aviation. Some reports suggest it may help ease trade tensions between Washington and Beijing that have persisted over recent years. China was among the last countries to recertify Boeing’s 737 MAX family after safety concerns led to global groundings.

Deliveries of Boeing’s MAX model have resumed recently after being paused due to tariff disputes earlier this year. Reports indicate that discussions about this large order will likely include significant numbers of MAX jets.

Boeing faces stiff competition from Airbus in China’s domestic aviation sector. Data shows Airbus currently leads with more flights and seats than Boeing each month in China’s domestic market (https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-set-sell-500-jets-china-massive-trade-deal-2025-08-21/). While Comac has entered as a local competitor, Cirium data indicates its share remains much smaller compared to both Western manufacturers.

In August 2025 alone, Boeing-operated flights within China numbered 186,787 compared to Airbus’ 244,507 flights for the same period. The most utilized Boeing model is currently the 737-800; widebody operations are led by the 787-9 variant.

China Southern Airlines stands out as Boeing's top domestic partner in terms of scheduled services this month.

If completed, analysts say this deal could help Boeing regain lost ground against Airbus while potentially strengthening US-China economic ties.