Chinese Airlines Are Reportedly Close To Ordering 500 Boeing Aircraft

Chinese airlines are close to finalizing an order for 500 aircraft from the American aircraft manufacturer, according to a report by Reuters. The development follows recent visits to China by a group of American lawyers, who held meetings with top Chinese officials.

During a press conference on September 23, 2025, US Democratic Representative Adam Smith said, “It has been a while since Boeing airplanes were sold here in China,” adding that they hope to resume sales soon. Just last month, Bloomberg reported that China had been in discussions with Boeing regarding the large-scale aircraft order.

Potential Multi-Billion-Dollar Deal

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The potential multi-billion-dollar order marks a major opportunity for the American aircraft manufacturer. US Ambassador to China David Purdue noted that the negotiations are nearing completion, stressing that the deal is “very important to the president, to Boeing, and to China.”

While details such as delivery schedules and aircraft models remain under discussion, the agreement is widely seen as part of a broader US-China trade arrangement. Given Boeing’s already substantial backlog, compounded by quality control issues and certification delays on some jets, this order is likely to unfold over the long term. Nevertheless, analysts suggest it could help Boeing regain market share in China, where Airbus has made notable gains in recent years.

The visit, which began on September 21, 2025, is the first by a House of Representatives delegation to China since 2019, before relations between Washington and Beijing worsened during the global COVID-19 pandemic. During the press conference, Smith added that the delegations also discussed the need for military dialogue, noting that China has the fastest-growing military and that it is dangerous for both countries to lack regular communication about their capabilities.

Breaking A Long Freeze

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If finalized, the new deal for 500 aircraft would mark China’s first major order from Boeing since 2017, ending a long period of inactivity. The most recent significant order from Chinese carriers to Boeing occurred in November 2017 during President Donald Trump’s state visit to China. At that time, China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CASC) signed a deal for 300 Boeing aircraft.

However, due to the Boeing 737 MAX groundings, a protracted recertification process, and geopolitical tensions, Boeing struggled to secure new orders from Chinese carriers in the subsequent years. In 2024, China Development Bank Financial Leasing placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets. Deliveries for this order are scheduled between 2028 and 2031.

The three largest Chinese airlines, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, currently have a combined backlog of 567 aircraft, according to ch-aviation data. Of these, only 72 deliveries are still pending from Boeing across all three carriers.

A 500-Plane Order For Airbus Jets

Credit: Airbus

China is awaiting deliveries from Boeing’s European rival, Airbus, which has steadily gained ground in the country’s aviation market over the years. China’s largest carriers recently finalized a massive order for 500 Airbus aircraft. While the deal was completed months ago, an official announcement has yet to be made, and the airlines are reportedly beginning to divide the order among themselves.

Bloomberg News was the first to report that Airbus and the Chinese government, through which all aircraft orders are typically finalized, completed the deal in June 2025. The composition of the order has not been disclosed, and the agreement has not been officially announced, as both Airbus and the Chinese government were waiting for the right timing, according to the report.

According to the report, the country’s “big three airlines,” including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, are each expected to secure around 100 Airbus aircraft, while two smaller airlines, including Xiamen Airlines and Sichuan Airlines Group, would each take about 35 aircraft.