Beijing, April 15, 2025 – China slammed the brakes on Boeing aircraft deliveries Monday, escalating its trade war with the US after President Trump’s 125% tariffs on Chinese goods sparked a fierce backlash. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) cited “supply chain concerns” for the freeze, halting 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner shipments—some mid-transit—worth $3 billion in 2025 orders, per Times of India.
The move follows Trump’s April 9 tariff hike from 104%, met by China’s own 125% duties on US cars and tech (Reuters). Boeing, already reeling from a 2024 strike costing $1 billion, faces a gut punch—China’s 300-plane backlog is 20% of its pipeline (Bloomberg). “It’s retaliation, not logistics,” an analyst told The Indian Express. CAAC’s nod to Airbus—30 A320s greenlit Monday—signals a pivot; China’s 1,200 Airbus jets now dwarf Boeing’s 900 (FlightGlobal).
Markets flinched—Boeing’s stock dipped 2% Monday; Shanghai’s CSI 300 held steady (The Economic Times). India’s watching close—Air India’s 290 Boeing orders, including 737 MAX, dodge the spat, but tariff-driven fuel costs loom (Business Standard). “We’re neutral, but delays hurt,” a SpiceJet exec told The Hindu. X buzzes—“China’s playing hardball!”—while some see a bluff: “They need those planes” (post:1). China’s 4,700 commercial jets—60% foreign—can’t shift overnight (CAAC, 2024).
For India, it’s a sideline seat—Boeing’s $10 billion local deals are safe, but global turbulence stings (India Today). Will China’s freeze force a US rethink, or just deepen the rift?
