Boeing Deal Hopes Fade Ahead of US-China Summit

Hopes for a significant new Boeing deal to emerge from the upcoming US-China summit are dwindling, according to sources close to the matter. The planemaker had been seeking commitments from China for hundreds more jets, but negotiations remain in flux. Instead, Boeing is focusing on finalizing a May agreement for China to purchase 200 planes.

China is expected to require around 9,000 new jets by 2045, with most of these orders currently going to European rival Airbus. The provisional deal struck earlier this year put Boeing back in the running for Chinese jetliner orders after it was largely shut out since 2017.

Aviation analysts say that even if a larger order is not forthcoming, securing the May agreement's smaller tranche of 200 planes would still be considered a victory. However, some experts caution that brokering new jetliner deals may not be a top priority at this summit, with trade truces and AI safeguards taking center stage.