#USChinaTensions China Returns $55M Boeing Jet to U.S. Amid Escalating Trade Tensions

A brand-new Boeing 737 MAX, originally slated for delivery to China’s Xiamen Airlines, was flown back to the U.S. this weekend, signaling a deepening rift in U.S.-China trade relations. The $55 million aircraft landed at Boeing Field in Seattle at 6:11 p.m. on Saturday, after a trans-Pacific flight with stops in Guam and Hawaii.

The jet had been undergoing final inspections at Boeing’s Zhoushan completion center in China before the delivery was abruptly canceled. The move followed the implementation of steep new tariffs, which rendered the sale financially unfeasible.

Earlier this month, the U.S. imposed tariffs of up to 145% on a broad array of Chinese imports, citing trade imbalances and IP concerns. In response, China hit back with a 125% tariff on several U.S. exports, including commercial aircraft—doubling the Boeing jet’s effective cost to over $110 million.