US President Donald Trump said on May 14 that Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed to order 200 commercial aircraft from Boeing during their meeting in Beijing.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the commitment had been secured during what he described as “very good” talks with the Chinese leader. He said that Boeing was initially aiming for 150 aircraft and that the figure had been raised to 200, without specifying models or delivery schedules.

“One of the things he agreed to today was to buy 200 aircraft (…). Boeings. 200 big ones,” he said, adding that he thought this was a commitment.

At this stage, neither Boeing, nor the engine manufacturers, nor the Chinese authorities have issued a statement detailing the nature of this commitment evoked by the American president.

This announcement was immediately judged disappointing by analysts and the markets, and a far cry from the Chinese mega-order that had been expected for months.

Up to 750 Boeing commercial aircraft over several years

Update: Donald Trump indicated that China could potentially buy 750 Boeing aircraft over the next few years during a press conference aboard Air Force One on his return flight from Beijing on May 15. He also pointed out that these aircraft would be powered by engines supplied by GE Aerospace (and therefore logically also by CFM International).

These potential orders would therefore be in the same order of magnitude as those mentioned several months ago (around 500 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft + 200 wide-body jets), although everything remains to be confirmed.