China Rocks!!

Boeing confirms 300 orders from China

Boeing confirmed 300 aircraft orders/commitments from Chinese companies and said it will open a joint venture 737 “completion” facility in China.

The announcements were made as Chinese President Xi Jinping toured 787, 777 and 747-8 final assembly lines in Everett, Washington.

The 300 orders/commitments are divided among Chinese leasing companies and Chinese airlines; specific airline destinations for the aircraft were not announced. Widebodies comprise 50 of the orders/commitments while 250 are for 737s, Boeing said. The company valued the 300 aircraft at $38 billion at list prices.

Boeing also said that it has entered into an agreement with the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) to open a joint venture facility in China for “interiors completion, paint and delivery of Boeing 737 aircraft to Chinese customers.” The airframes will still be built in Washington state before being flown to China for the completion work.

Conner noted in the letter that “China is our largest international market, accounting for about 1 in 4 of our deliveries so far this year. Going forward, China will be the largest commercial aviation market in the world.”