Chinese officials have reportedly informed domestic carriers and government agencies that deliveries of U.S.-made aircraft, including those from Boeing, can resume. This decision follows a reduction in reciprocal tariffs between the U.S. and China after recent trade negotiations. Last month, Boeing repatriated at least three jets from its delivery center in China back to the United States due to the previous ban. Although Beijing has not officially commented on the cessation of deliveries, industry sources suggest there were no formal instructions against accepting Boeing planes. Boeing had previously stated that Chinese customers would not take delivery of new aircraft due to tariffs, leading the company to consider reselling potentially dozens of planes. On Monday, Washington and Beijing agreed to reduce tariffs during a 90-day negotiation period following discussions in Geneva. Boeing declined to comment on the matter, and neither China’s Civil Aviation Administration nor airlines contacted by Reuters responded to requests for comment. China represents approximately 10% of Boeing’s commercial backlog and is a crucial and growing market for aviation. While other airlines have shown interest in purchasing the undelivered Chinese planes, Boeing hesitated due to high inventory levels and specific seating configurations chosen by Chinese airlines. Chinese customers are expected to take delivery of 25 out of 30 remaining 737 MAX jets built before 2023. Additionally, four 777 freighter planes are in production for Chinese carriers. China had already granted exemptions from tariffs on some aerospace equipment parts before Monday’s agreement.
— new from Reuters
