Trump says China will order 200 Boeing jets

BEIJING: President Donald Trump said Thursday that China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing jets, speaking of an order for “200 big ones” in a broadcast interview.

“It was sort of like a statement but I think it was a commitment,” Trump said, describing his conversation with President Xi Jinping in a Fox News interview.

“That’s a lot of jobs,” Trump told Fox host Sean Hannity in excerpts released by the broadcaster.

Shares fell after the spots were released.

US media reports had described a possible China order of around 500 single-aisle Boeing 737 MAX planes, in addition to 100 larger models, such as the 787 Dreamliner and 777.

Boeing did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Boeing’s CEO Kelly Ortberg was part of the US delegation for the Beijing summit.

Ortberg told analysts last month that he was hopeful about a China order, saying “I think that’s 100% dependent on the US-China negotiations and relations.”

Boeing’s last order from China’s authorities came in 2017, when Trump visited Beijing during his first term. It was for 300 aircraft (single and dual aisles), for an estimated $37 billion.