Seoul, South Korea | April 21, 2025: A second Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, originally destined for a Chinese airline, is en route back to the United States, highlighting the intensifying trade dispute between Washington and Beijing. Flight tracking data indicates that the jet departed from Boeing’s Zhoushan completion center near Shanghai on Monday morning, heading toward the U.S. territory of Guam.
This development follows the return of another 737 MAX aircraft, painted in Xiamen Airlines livery, which landed in Seattle on Sunday. The specific reasons behind the decision to redirect these aircraft remain unclear, with no official statements from Boeing or the involved Chinese carriers.
The backdrop to these events is a significant escalation in trade tariffs. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump increased baseline tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, prompting China to retaliate with a 125% tariff on U.S. goods. Given that a new 737 MAX has a market value of approximately $55 million, these tariffs could substantially impact the cost and feasibility of aircraft deliveries.
Analysts suggest that the uncertainty surrounding the changing tariff landscape may lead many airlines to defer aircraft deliveries rather than incur additional costs. This situation poses challenges for Boeing, which has been working to recover from a nearly five-year import freeze on 737 MAX jets and previous trade tensions.
The return of these aircraft underscores the broader implications of the U.S.-China trade war on the global aerospace industry, potentially disrupting long-standing supply chains and delivery schedules.
Source: Arab News
