China may be on the verge of placing another lucrative order with European aerospace giant Airbus, potentially for at least 100 to 200 new aircraft – even as some Chinese airlines remain heavily reliant on US rival Boeing’s jets.
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Europe has emerged as China’s go-to source for overseas commercial aircraft in recent years. Boeing, once a major supplier, has not secured a major order from China since 2017 – casting a shadow over its future in the world’s second-largest economy amid turbulent trade ties between Beijing and Washington.
In that time, the company has also suffered reputational setbacks marked by worker strikes, financial losses and crashes – including the recent Air India disaster that killed at least 270 people aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Now, as Beijing’s geopolitical and aviation safety concerns push Chinese buyers towards Airbus and even the home-grown Comac C919 passenger plane, analysts warn Boeing’s absence from China’s recent plane-buying spree could leave some airlines in the lurch.
“Buying from Airbus makes a lot of sense now, both commercially and diplomatically … But carriers with Boeing-only fleets are caught on the back foot,” said Brian Yang Bo, an aviation industry veteran and independent consultant.
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Beijing could reportedly sign the deal with Airbus this month, when European leaders travel to China for a summit. If it goes ahead, it would come hot on the heels of a US$20 billion deal for 160 jets signed just two years ago during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China – pushing Boeing even further out in the cold.