U.S.'s Bessent says China eyeing more Boeing purchases ahead of Xi visit

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday that China is expressing strong interest in acquiring additional Boeing aircraft. This potential expansion of orders is expected to be a key topic when Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the United States in September.

"They agreed to 200 aeroplanes during the visit. We will see if they commit to a larger number when Xi Jinping arrives in Washington," Bessent told the Senate Finance Committee during his budget request testimony. The initial purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft was considered a significant outcome of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing last month, with the White House describing it as an "initial purchase."

Sourabh Gupta, a Resident Senior Fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies, noted that Boeing purchases are "expressly tied" to the consistent supply of engines and parts for China's domestically produced C919 passenger jet. Gupta predicted that if trust regarding supply assurance is established, the number of Boeing jet purchases could increase by an additional 500 to 550 aircraft.

Bessent's remarks follow the U.S. Trade Representative's office announcement of a public comment period for the newly established U.S.-China Board of Trade, a mechanism designed to manage trade relations between the two largest economies.

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They agreed to 200 aeroplanes during the visit. We will see if they commit to a larger number when Xi Jinping arrives in Washington.