China Resumes Boeing Deliveries After Sudden Trade Truce, as President Trump Keeps Aircraft Central to Trade Deal, Prioritizing MAGA Agenda

China has lifted a month-long ban on domestic airlines taking delivery of Boeing aircraft, following a breakthrough in trade negotiations with the United States that resulted in a sudden reduction of steep tariffs on both sides.

The government has begun informing domestic carriers and government agencies that deliveries of U.S.-made aircraft can resume, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. Airlines have been given discretion to arrange the timing and terms of their deliveries individually.

The move is a significant short-term boost for Boeing, which had been caught in the crossfire of the U.S.-China trade war. Under the new trade truce, the United States will lower its combined tariffs on most Chinese imports from 145% to 30% for 90 days, while China will reduce its 125% levies on U.S. goods to 10% and eliminate other countermeasures introduced since April 2. However, the outlook remains uncertain, as Trump warned that if a long-term agreement is not reached within the three-month negotiation period, substantial tariffs will return.

Boeing was shut out of the Chinese market after China retaliated against President Trump’s broad tariffs by halting deliveries of its planes and pricing them out of reach for local airlines. At least three jets were returned from Boeing's delivery center in China to the United States in April, and dozens more faced uncertain futures.

While Boeing had prepared to redirect undelivered aircraft to other markets—including India, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia—China's decision to resume deliveries spares the company the logistical and financial burden of reallocating inventory and guarantees substantial payments upon successful handovers. Boeing had warned it would seek alternative buyers if the aircraft remained stranded but hesitated due to customization hurdles, such as seating chosen and purchased by the original Chinese customers.

The planemaker expects to deliver about 50 jets to China this year, with 41 already built or in production. Boeing executives confirmed during the company’s first-quarter earnings call that 25 out of the remaining 30 pre-2023 737 MAX jets not yet delivered are now expected to go to Chinese carriers. Additionally, at least four 777 freighters are currently in production for Chinese customers, according to a source familiar with the matter and aircraft tracking data from Aviation Flights Group.

China remains a vital market for Boeing, accounting for about 10% of its commercial backlog. It is also forecast to make up 20% of global aircraft demand over the next two decades.

Safety concerns have strained Boeing’s relationship with the Chinese market. China was the first country to ground the 737 MAX following two fatal crashes, and worsening relations between the U.S. and China during the Biden administration further pushed orders toward Europe’s Airbus SE. These challenges have contributed to Boeing's crisis in recent years.

Nevertheless, aircraft remain a symbolic pillar of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) economic agenda. President Trump has continued to position Boeing jets as central to U.S. trade deals. Last week, as part of the U.S.-U.K. trade agreement, a $10 billion deal was announced for the sale of 32 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners to British Airways—an example of how the administration uses aviation to showcase American manufacturing strength.

While China had already granted tariff exemptions for certain aerospace parts such as engines and landing gear, the broader resumption of Boeing deliveries signals a potential thaw in a relationship critical to both nations’ economies—and to Boeing’s future.