Boeing is expected to resume aircraft deliveries to China starting next month.
According to U.S. CNBC on the 29th (local time), Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said during the annual conference hosted by the investment bank Bernstein that China has decided to receive aircraft again, noting, “The first delivery will take place next month.”
Earlier, on the 13th, Bloomberg News reported, citing anonymous sources, that Chinese authorities had lifted the ban on Boeing aircraft acquisitions for domestic airlines. The Chinese authorities granted airlines the discretion to receive aircraft based on their respective schedules and contract terms.
Initially, Chinese authorities instructed domestic airlines to halt Boeing aircraft acquisitions following the announcement of the reciprocal tariffs by the United States. As a result, a Boeing 737 Max aircraft, which was scheduled to be delivered by Xiamen Airlines, was returned to the United States even after it had been painted.
Ortberg said the impact of the tariff war the U.S. is engaged in with major trading partners is likely to be minimal, adding of the rapidly changing trade policies, “Personally, I do not see these policies lasting indefinitely.”
He explained that although tariffs are imposed on parts from Italy and Japan that go into aircraft produced in the United States, most of these can be recovered when the aircraft are exported overseas.
Boeing plans to expand production of its best-selling model, the 737 Max. Ortberg stated that Boeing could produce 42 Max aircraft per month by mid-year and is considering increasing that to 47 per month six months later.