š±In a striking turn of events amid rising U.S.-China trade tensions, a brand-new Boeing 737 MAX jet bound for Xiamen Airlines was sent back to the United States over the weekend. The $55 million aircraft, which had been stationed at Boeingās Zhoushan facility in China for final inspections, was flown back to Seattle after new tariffs made the sale financially unfeasible.
The U.S. recently raised tariffs on a wide array of Chinese imports to 145%, prompting China to retaliate with a 125% duty on U.S. goods, including commercial jets. This pushed the Boeing jet's effective cost to over $110 million, forcing the deal's collapse.
This incident underscores the escalating economic friction between the two superpowers and poses a serious challenge for Boeing, which has long relied on China as a key market. With trade barriers mounting, Chinese airlines may now turn to Airbus as a more viable alternative.