Trump confirms China to order 200 Boeing aircraft after Xi meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to order 200 Boeing aircraft, describing the commitment as a major boost for U.S. manufacturing following high-level talks in Beijing.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said:

"One thing [Xi] agreed to today: he's going to order 200 jets. That's a big thing. Boeing — 200 big ones. That's a lot of jobs. It's a lot. Boeing wanted 150, he got 200," Trump said.

The announcement came during Trump’s visit to China with a delegation of U.S. business leaders, as Washington and Beijing continue discussions spanning trade, artificial intelligence, and geopolitical tensions.

The terms of the potential agreement, including aircraft types and delivery schedules, were not disclosed.

Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg had earlier signalled expectations of progress, saying he was "confident" the deal would "include some aircraft orders" and describing the trip as a "meaningful opportunity" for the company.

The reported order follows earlier speculation that China could consider large-scale purchases of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to meet rising demand in its aviation sector. Boeing shares fell in Thursday trading after the reported figure fell short of some market expectations.

China last announced a major Boeing purchase during Trump’s 2017 visit to Beijing, when it agreed to buy 300 aircraft from the U.S. manufacturer.