Chinese airlines near major order for up to 500 Boeing jets

The visit by the House of Representatives delegation marks their first trip to China since 2019. During the press conference, Smith also highlighted discussions about military dialogue with Chinese officials, noting concerns over China's rapidly growing military and emphasizing the risks posed by a lack of regular communication between both countries.

If confirmed, this would be China's first major order from Boeing since 2017. The last significant purchase occurred during President Donald Trump’s state visit when China Aviation Supplies Holding Company signed for 300 Boeing aircraft. Since then, factors such as the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet, extended recertification processes, and geopolitical tensions have limited new orders from Chinese carriers. In 2024, China Development Bank Financial Leasing ordered 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets with deliveries planned between 2028 and 2031.

Currently, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines together have a backlog of 567 aircraft orders; only 72 pending deliveries are from Boeing across these three carriers.

Meanwhile, Airbus continues to expand its presence in China's aviation sector. Earlier this year, China's largest airlines finalized an order for another batch of 500 Airbus jets. According to Bloomberg News reports from June 2025, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines are each expected to receive around 100 Airbus planes as part of this deal. Two smaller carriers—Xiamen Airlines and Sichuan Airlines Group—are anticipated to take about 35 aircraft each.