A Boeing 737 MAX aircraft landed in China on Monday, signaling a resumption of deliveries to Chinese airlines as trade tensions between Beijing and Washington temporarily cool.
The jet, bearing the livery of Xiamen Airlines, arrived at Boeing’s Zhoushan Completion and Delivery Center near Shanghai after departing from Seattle on Saturday. The trans-Pacific journey included refueling stops in Hawaii and Guam.
The delivery marks the first since Boeing paused shipments to China in April, amid escalating tariffs between the world’s two largest economies. However, following a 90-day de-escalation agreement in late May, Boeing confirmed that deliveries to Chinese customers would resume in June.
According to Flightradar24 tracking data, the same aircraft had previously been flown to Zhoushan in March, only to be ferried back to the U.S. in mid-April after Chinese carriers halted acceptance of new Boeing jets.
Neither Boeing, Xiamen Airlines, nor China’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), have commented publicly on the latest development.
China is a critical market for Boeing, accounting for around 10% of its commercial aircraft backlog. With air travel demand growing in the region, restoring deliveries is a significant move for the U.S. manufacturer.
Diplomatic efforts also appear to be underway, with U.S. and Chinese officials meeting in London on Monday to discuss broader trade relations.
Back in April, Boeing had repatriated at least three 737 MAX jets from Zhoushan, including the aircraft that just returned. At the time, the company indicated that up to 50 jets were intended for delivery to Chinese airlines by year’s end, with 41 already built or in production.
While Boeing had considered reselling aircraft initially destined for China, it held back amid hopes for improved relations. The temporary pause in tariffs has now opened the door to fulfilling those deliveries.
China has not officially explained the halt, but previously stated that both its airlines and Boeing were “severely impacted” by U.S.-imposed tariffs.
