China has reportedly ordered its airlines to suspend the delivery of new aircraft from American aerospace giant Boeing, according to a report by Bloomberg News.
The move marks a significant escalation in the ongoing trade war between Beijing and Washington, which has intensified since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office earlier this year.
The report, citing individuals familiar with the matter, said Chinese carriers have also been instructed to pause purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from U.S. companies. This development comes as part of China’s broader retaliation against sweeping U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, which now reach as high as 145 percent.
Beijing has responded with its own countermeasures, imposing tariffs of up to 125 percent on American goods. Chinese officials have condemned Washington’s approach, denouncing it as illegal economic “bullying.” They have dismissed further negotiations or retaliatory escalation as “pointless,” according to sources familiar with China’s trade stance.
The suspension of Boeing aircraft deliveries could have major implications for the U.S. aviation sector, which counts China as one of its most important markets. Bloomberg reports that the Chinese government is considering measures to support domestic carriers that lease Boeing jets and may now face higher costs due to tariff-driven price hikes.
The decision to block Boeing deliveries is seen as a calculated response that targets a key American exporter while leveraging China’s growing domestic aviation industry, including state-owned aircraft manufacturer COMAC, which Beijing has been promoting as a rival to Boeing and Airbus.
President Trump’s aggressive trade posture has rattled global markets and strained diplomatic ties with both adversaries and allies. His administration’s most recent measures included an abrupt freeze on planned additional tariff hikes. However, no clear path toward reconciliation with Beijing has yet emerged.
In an apparent bid to stabilize select sectors, U.S. officials last Friday issued exemptions for a range of high-end technology products—including smartphones, semiconductors, and computers—from the newest round of tariffs. Despite this partial reprieve, broader trade relations between the two powers remain under significant stress.
As tensions continue to mount, industry observers are closely monitoring whether Beijing’s latest move signals a broader decoupling from American aerospace firms. The longer the standoff persists, the
