China has reportedly instructed its airlines to stop purchasing aircraft from US manufacturer Boeing, in an escalation of the ongoing trade conflict between Beijing and Washington.
According to a report by Bloomberg, which cited sources familiar with the matter, Chinese authorities have also ordered domestic carriers to cease buying aircraft-related equipment and components from American suppliers.
The decision follows a fresh wave of tit-for-tat tariffs, with China announcing over the weekend that it would impose duties of up to 125% on certain US imports, including aircraft and parts. The move effectively doubles the cost of US-made aviation products, making new acquisitions by Chinese airlines economically unfeasible.
The restrictions come in response to the United States’ imposition of 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, introduced under the administration of President Donald Trump as part of an intensifying trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
However, Bloomberg reports that some aircraft deliveries will continue, as they were part of prior agreements concluded before the new tariffs came into effect.
