Flight Deck: Boeing: back to China

Research evidence excerpt

Flight Deck: Boeing: back to China

Deutsche Bank

Research

Europe Industry Date

18 May 2026

Aerospace & Defence Flight Deck

Aerospace & Defence Periodical

Boeing: back to China

Christophe Menard

China and the tale of 2 aircraft manufacturers Research Analyst

For the better part of the last decade, Airbus has capitalized on its "home-field +33-1-4495-9315

advantage" in Tianjin, effectively boxing Boeing out of the world’s second-largest

Samrudh Agrawal

aviation market of China. Most recently, in early 2026, Airbus solidified this lead Research Associate

with blockbuster agreements, including China Southern’s recent order for 102

A320neo family aircraft and China Eastern’s commitment for 101 jets. This

Sriram Krishnan, CFA

dominance is anchored by the industrial powerhouse in Tianjin, where Airbus

Research Analyst

inaugurated its second Final Assembly Line (FAL) in late 2025, aiming to produce

+44-20-7541-0983

75 A320-family aircraft per month by 2027, with the Tianjin site now capable of

handling a significant portion of Asian narrowbody demand. Furthermore, the

Airbus A330/A350 Completion and Delivery Centre (C&DC) in Tianjin remains a

unique strategic asset; by which Airbus has woven itself into the fabric of Chinese

industrial policy in a way Boeing has yet to replicate. However, that competitive gap

seems to be narrowing, catalyzed by recent top-level trade negotiations. On his

recent trip to Beijing, President Trump announced a significant breakthrough,

stating that China has agreed to a purchase of 200 Boeing jets and a "promise of up

to 750 planes" if Boeing "does a good job" with the initial deliveries, marking the first

major commitment for U.S. made aircraft in nearly a decade. While more details are