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Boeing Jet Departs China Delivery Facility Amid Uncertainty Over U.S. Tariffs
By Lisa Barrington, Sophie Yu, Dan Catchpole, and Tim Hepher
April 17 – A Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that had recently arrived at the company’s Zhoushan completion and delivery center in China appears to be returning to the United States, according to flight tracking data on Friday. The move follows reports of potential Chinese restrictions on aircraft imports from the U.S., raising concerns over disruptions in deliveries amid escalating trade tensions.
The aircraft departed the Zhoushan facility on Friday morning, en route to Guam—one of the typical refueling stops for trans-Pacific flights—suggesting a return journey to Boeing’s Seattle operations. The aircraft, seen earlier in a Shandong Airlines livery (a carrier majority-owned by Air China), had not been officially handed over. Air China has not yet responded to requests for comment.
According to aviation tracking platform Flightradar24, four new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft were recently stationed at the Zhoushan facility. Three of them arrived in March and a fourth last week, prior to President Donald Trump’s announcement on April 2 of a new wave of tariffs targeting Chinese interests. Boeing’s Zhoushan facility, inaugurated in 2018, installs interiors and paints aircraft prior to final delivery to Chinese customers.
While there has been no official confirmation of a formal ban, reports—first circulated by Bloomberg—indicate China may be effectively halting Boeing deliveries through the imposition of steep tariffs. Industry insiders said there is growing uncertainty, and many are now operating under the assumption that aircraft deliveries to China may be suspended for the near future.
In a related development, Beijing has reportedly instructed Chinese carriers to pause purchases of aircraft-related parts and equipment from U.S. suppliers. However, several U.S.-based sources said they had not received formal guidance to cease exports. A Chinese aviation maintenance provider also confirmed no disruptions in the import of American parts to date. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment directly on the matter.
Aviation outlet The Air Current reported that at least one of the aircraft in Zhoushan had been recalled to the U.S., with no delivery completed. Boeing has declined to provide a comment.
The mounting delivery complications come as another headwind for Boeing, which continues to face a turbulent recovery from recent challenges including regulatory pressures, labor disruptions, and supply chain instability.
The current uncertainty also raises questions about broader aerospace supply chains. U.S. supplier Howmet Aerospace recently cited a “force majeure event” due to tariffs, potentially disrupting several downstream contracts. Multiple airline executives have suggested that deferring aircraft deliveries may be preferable to incurring additional duties.
While a short-term halt may not severely impact Boeing—given the potential to reassign aircraft to other carriers—China remains a key long-term market. Boeing estimates the Chinese commercial fleet will more than double by 2043, with the country expected to surpass the U.S. in passenger air traffic.
As of the latest data, Boeing has 130 outstanding orders from Chinese customers, including 96 for the 737 MAX. Industry sources also believe a significant share of the more than 760 unnamed unfulfilled orders may be tied to China.
Given the uncertainty, Chinese carriers—many of which lease over half of their fleets—are expected to extend existing leases rather than acquire new aircraft in the immediate term. According to IBA Chief Economist Stuart Hatcher, this is a “highly probable” scenario as trade and tariff discussions evolve.
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