China Orders Boeing Jet Delivery Halt as Trade War Expands

China has ordered its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing Co. jets as part of the tit-for-tat trade war that’s seen US President Donald Trump levy tariffs of as high as 145% on Chinese goods, according to people familiar with the matter.

Beijing has also requested that Chinese carriers halt any purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from US companies, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing matters that are private. 

The order came after China unveiled retaliatory tariffs of 125% on American goods this past weekend, the people said. Those levies on their own would have more than doubled the cost of US-made aircraft and parts, making it impractical for Chinese airlines to accept Boeing planes.

The Chinese government is also considering ways to provide assistance to airlines that lease Boeing jets and are facing higher costs, the people said.

Shares of the US planemaker slid as much as 2.5% on Tuesday after Bloomberg News reported on the Chinese moves, and fell 1.2% at 11:13 a.m. in New York. Through Monday, Boeing shares had declined 10% this year. 

The fast-moving dispute between the world’s two biggest economies has caught Boeing in the middle, although the situation is fluid and could change at any moment. Trump has backtracked on some US levies, including fees imposed on Apple Inc. iPhones imported from China.   

Trump on Tuesday weighed in to criticize Beijing with a post on his Truth Social network. China “just reneged on the big Boeing deal” signed during his first administration, he said.

About 10 Boeing 737 Max aircraft are preparing to enter Chinese airline fleets, including two each for China Southern Airlines Co., Air China Ltd. and Xiamen Airlines Co., based on data from Aviation Flights Group. Some of the jets are parked near Boeing’s factory base in Seattle while others are at a finishing center in Zhoushan in eastern China, according to the production-tracking firm’s website.

Delivery paperwork and payment on some of these jets may have been completed before the reciprocal tariffs announced by China on April 11 took effect on April 12, and those planes may be allowed to enter China on a case-by-case basis, some of the people said. 

The Civil Aviation Administration of China didn’t respond to a faxed request for comment. Boeing declined to comment. Representatives for China Southern, Air China and Xiamen Airlines also didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Last week, Bloomberg reported that Juneyao Airlines Co. was delaying delivery of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that it was due to receive in about three weeks.

For Boeing, the standoff is a fresh setback in one of the world’s biggest markets for aircraft sales. There is “likely some hope that this is temporary and provides China a bargaining chip in any negotiation,” Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu said in a research note. 

China is forecast to make up 20% of global aircraft demand over the next two decades. In 2018, nearly a quarter of Boeing’s output ended up there. But the US planemaker hasn’t announced a major order in China in recent years due to trade tensions and self-inflicted issues.

In 2019, China became the first nation to ground the 737 Max following two deadly crashes. Trade disputes with the Biden and first Trump administrations also helped tilt Chinese orders toward Europe’s Airbus SE. Then in 2024, Boeing suffered a quality crisis when a door plug blew out mid-flight in January.

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[locdawg]

When they say it's not a big issue.... Start running for the hills 😂😂😂

[araara]

American: "We're not going to fund China to compete with us!"
Chinese: "We're not going to fund America to bully us!"

[alileevil]

Not a big issue? There are more than 10, 000 orders cancelled.

[James-bdei]

All self inflicted. Thank you maga. Enjoy!

[edwardhammond]

Heartbreaking to see Trump, after trashing 6 of his own companies now starting in on Boeing. What's the bet he and/or MTG bought shares in Airbus before this?

[gfan]

US parts are now tariffed which makes maintenance very very expensive. No wonder China ditching Boeing as US government can just bar China from obtaining important parts for those jets they bought.

[MacDaddy]

China has COMAC for the narrow bodies and can order AIRBUS widebodies to fill the gap.

[YWang-vlzh]

Boeing narrow bodies = 737 Max 😅 Don’t Chinese people (like people everywhere) prefer Airbus 321neo?

Also, if a trip takes <5 hours on high speed rail, people just take the train. No one flies between Beijing and Shanghai anymore.

[jcheco]

This is the issue, the government taking the business shots.

[sstan]

It’s not an issues as Boeing can’t fulfilled it’s order anyway… with multiple delayed in delivery

[dolamroth]

The interviewer looks more AI-generated than actually AI-generated avatars....

[richardnunziata]

Just how much tariff dollars is Trump going to get when no will trade

[tigermedia]

trump I love all the smart people n I love all the dumb people

[junkmail-bf]

1. Tariffs and Hypocrisy there’s a bit of a double standard. Other countries often criticize the U.S. for tariffs while they have their own barriers—Many countries protect their local industries but complain when the U.S. does the same.

2. U.S. Consumption = Global Demand The U.S. is the largest consumer market in the world. That gives America tremendous leverage. Companies from all over the world want access to U.S. customers. If America tightens the screws—whether it’s tariffs or shifting suppliers—those exporters feel it hard.

3. Southeast Asia & Developing Nations Countries like Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia—some of these regions still don’t have stable electricity or infrastructure. Sure, they’re trying to modernize, but it's a long road. You can't run a tech supply chain with $100/month labor if there's no power grid. It's one thing to say “We’ll just move from China to Vietnam, ” but scaling that is not easy.

4. China’s Advantage: Centralized Control China has a big advantage in speed of execution because President Xi (not elected in the democratic sense) doesn't need to deal with congress, public opinion, or elections. The CCP will push through policies—good or bad—with no delay. But the cost? Civil liberties, censorship, and a willingness to “sacrifice their people like sheeps.” because the 1% there are not affected.

5. US Advantages it’s easier for the buyer to find a new seller than for a seller to find a new buyer. That’s true in almost any market. China losing U.S. customers hurts them more than the U.S. losing Chinese products—because alternatives exist. We can find another factory, but they can’t invent another U.S.-sized market overnight.

The Threats Are Real Trade Surplus: China’s trade surplus with the U.S. isn’t just money—it’s power. That cash bankrolls expansion across Africa, South America, even Europe. It's what helps fund BRICS, alternative payment systems, and projects meant to replace the U.S. dollar.

Fentanyl Crisis: It’s not paranoia to call that a weapon. Fentanyl ingredients coming from China, routed through Mexico—it’s killing Americans. This isn’t just drug trade, it’s chemical warfare in slow motion. Tech Theft, Espionage, TikTok Influence: We’re letting adversaries into our homes, our data, and our culture—and calling it convenience.

Now or Never The world is shifting. If America doesn’t make a stand now—on trade, tech, and domestic production—we might not get another chance. The goal isn’t isolation—it’s independence. It’s about protecting our people, our jobs, and our future. No more selling ourselves cheap just for the sake of cheaper TVs