Tensions between Washington and Beijing are flaring once again—this time over a major aviation deal that appears to be unraveling.
On Tuesday, the White House signaled that President Donald Trump believes it is now up to China—not the United States—to come back to the negotiating table on trade. This follows accusations that Beijing has backed out of a significant agreement involving American aerospace giant Boeing.
“The ball is in China’s court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them,” read a statement from Trump, shared by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing. She added, “There’s no difference between China and any other country—except that they are much larger.”
Trump’s remarks come after a Bloomberg report claimed that Chinese authorities had instructed domestic airlines to pause all further deliveries of Boeing aircraft. The report also indicated that Chinese carriers were asked to temporarily halt purchases of aircraft parts and equipment from U.S. firms.
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In a Truth Social post, Trump accused China of reneging on what he described as a “fully committed” Boeing deal. While he didn’t offer specifics about the agreement, his frustration was clear.
“They just reneged on the big Boeing deal,” he wrote. “Saying that they will ‘not take possession’ of aircraft they had already committed to.”
This latest spat adds to the growing friction between the U.S. and China under Trump’s renewed leadership. Since returning to the presidency, Trump has aggressively reimposed and expanded tariffs—reserving some of the harshest economic measures for China.
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Earlier this year, Trump introduced a sweeping new tariff strategy, slapping an additional 145% in levies on many Chinese imports. A new 10% “baseline” tariff has also been applied broadly across various U.S. trading partners. Despite these sweeping duties, the administration has carved out exemptions for key tech products like smartphones and laptops.
Leavitt emphasized on Tuesday that while Trump remains open to renegotiating with Beijing, the pressure is now firmly on China to make the first move. “The U.S. consumer market is strong,” she said. “And that gives us leverage.”
Trump also criticized China for what he says was a failure to live up to previous trade commitments—likely referencing the 2020 Phase One agreement that temporarily de-escalated a tariff war during his first term.
“They only bought a portion of what they agreed to buy,” he claimed, adding that China showed “zero respect” for President Joe Biden’s administration.
As part of his ongoing “America First” trade doctrine, Trump also reaffirmed his commitment to protecting U.S. farmers—highlighting how they often bear the brunt of retaliatory tariffs from adversaries like China.
In response to Trump’s latest trade measures, Beijing has fired back with its own counter-tariffs. U.S. agricultural products are once again in the crosshairs, with reports suggesting China is now applying duties as high as 125% on a range of American imports.
At the time of writing, China’s foreign ministry had not commented on the aircraft delivery reports, and Boeing has remained tight-lipped about the situation.
This latest round of trade tension underscores the delicate and often volatile nature of U.S.–China relations—especially under Trump’s hardline approach. As global markets watch closely, the fallout from the Boeing deal could have wider implications for industries beyond aviation, including agriculture, tech, and manufacturing.
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