China Confirms Purchase of 200 Boeing Jets from US

China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday that airlines in China will purchase 200 aircraft from Boeing, one of the largest single procurement commitments in recent years. This announcement followed President Donald Trump’s claim days earlier that China had agreed to buy 200 Boeing jets with GE Aerospace engines.

The deal was outlined on the website of China’s Ministry of Commerce as part of broader economic understandings reached during discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met in Beijing from May 13 to 15. The aircraft will be supplied by Boeing based on commercial demand and fleet expansion needs, with the US also ensuring continued supply of engines and critical components.

The agreement is seen as part of a larger package of trade understandings that signal a cautious but structured effort to stabilize bilateral economic ties after years of tariff disputes, sanctions, and countermeasures. Both sides agreed in principle to explore a reciprocal tariff-reduction mechanism under a future Trade Council framework, covering at least $30 billion worth of goods on each side.

Chinese officials stressed the objective is to prevent future tariff escalations and ensure any new US trade measures remain within agreed ceilings. Beijing and Washington also agreed to establish new Trade and Investment Councils as a stabilising framework for managing their evolving relationship.

Agricultural trade has emerged as a key pillar of negotiations, with China seeking expanded access for US farm products and the United States continuing to rely on Chinese demand for exports such as soybeans, beef, and poultry products. Both sides agreed to address selected non-tariff barriers and set indicative targets for expanding agricultural trade in both directions.

The export of rare earth elements and critical minerals was another sensitive area discussed. China reaffirmed its export controls are implemented under domestic law and applied through a licensing system for civilian-use applications. Beijing expressed willingness to cooperate with Washington to ensure stable global supply chains and address mutual concerns in strategic materials.

Both sides also reviewed the Kuala Lumpur trade arrangement, which temporarily suspended a range of tariffs and countermeasures until November 2026. The United States agreed to ease several restrictions, including lifting automatic detention measures on Chinese dairy products and allowing trial imports of Chinese bonsai plants. In return, China agreed to resume registration approvals for qualified US beef exporters and restart imports of certain poultry products.

Taken together, the agreements reflect a cautious recalibration rather than a full reset of China-US economic relations. While structural tensions remain, particularly around technology controls, tariffs, and strategic industries, the scale of the Boeing order and the institutional frameworks now under discussion signal a mutual interest in preventing further escalation.