Boeing Deal Won’t End Its China Troubles

Boeing Co.’s agreement for 200 jets marks the end of a nine-year drought in China. But the order was considerably smaller than expected — and a reminder of how much ground it has lost in the world’s second-largest aviation market.

There’s little the American plane maker can do directly to overcome a number of disadvantages in the priority region, especially when it's being weaponized for diplomatic leverage. But it should make the most of a global aircraft shortage to appeal to Chinese airlines, whose fleet is expected to double over the next two decades due to robust demand for air travel.