Boeing Is Way Behind Airbus in Race for China’s Next Big Order
- China’s been talking to Airbus about large order since 2019
- Boeing talks with China have been held back by trade tensions
The long-awaited trade agreement between the U.S. and China may pave the way for Boeing Co. to resume sales to the world’s second-largest aviation market, but the American giant has much catching up to do against European archrival Airbus SA.
China Aviation Supplies Holding Co., which buys planes on behalf of the nation’s airlines, has been in talks with Airbus since 2019 about purchasing jets for the country’s next five-year economic plan that begins in 2021, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named discussing a private matter. Those talks began early last year, one of the people said. China’s top economic planner, which needs to clear negotiations of this magnitude, hasn’t even authorized the state procurement firm to begin talks with Boeing yet as trade tensions held back discussions, the person said.