Trump Says China Agreed to Buy 200 Boeing Jets at Beijing Summit

President Donald Trump announced that China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing jets during his state visit to Beijing, describing the commitment as a significant step toward easing trade tensions. The claim came after meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping that also covered the war in Iran and longstanding differences over Taiwan.

Analysts had anticipated a larger order, with some forecasts reaching 500 aircraft. Boeing shares fell nearly 4 percent in afternoon trading after the announcement, reflecting the gap between expectations and the reported figure. The company has not secured a major jet order from China in nearly a decade and has lost ground to Airbus in that market.

Trump made the statement in an interview with Fox News following the first day of talks. He said Xi had also offered to help resolve the conflict in Iran and expressed willingness to see the Strait of Hormuz reopened. No signed agreement or confirmation from Boeing or Chinese authorities has been released.

The two leaders held a state banquet that evening. Trump spoke of shared history between the countries and invited Xi to visit Washington in September. Xi described the visit as historic and called for the two nations to act as partners rather than rivals. During the same day’s bilateral meeting, Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could create an extremely dangerous situation, invoking the risk of conflict between a rising power and an established one.

White House officials confirmed the banquet playlist included “Y.M.C.A.,” “We Are the World,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg joined the U.S. delegation, and analysts had viewed the summit as a potential opening for renewed aircraft sales. As of the close of the first day, the jet commitment remained an unverified presidential statement without independent corroboration from the manufacturer or Beijing.