A Boeing jet headed for China returned to the United States on Friday, April 18, amid a deepening trade war that¡¯s sparking fears of a recession worldwide.?

Reuters reported the news of the Boeing jet being returned. It was waiting for final work and a handover to a Chinese air carrier at Boeing¡¯s completion center in Zhoushan, where the company installs plane interiors and paints liveries.?

Yet FlightAware data found that one of the planes flew from Zhoushan to Guam, a U.S. territory that¡¯s a routine stop for new aircraft, suggesting the plane wasn¡¯t being delivered in China but was heading back to Seattle.?

Boeing, which has faced years-long scrutiny after a wide backlog and numerous safety issues, including two deadly plane crashes six years ago, had doubled its jet deliveries in January 2025 compared to a year before following the end of a months-long worker strike, hoping that it could put its troubled past behind it.?

Yet the American aircraft manufacturer faces new challenges under Trump¡¯s trade war, with Chinese airlines suspending deliveries of new aircraft as tariffs soar over 100 percent. While there isn¡¯t a direct ban on American aircraft deliveries in China, the tariffs are so high that Reuters noted ¡°Trump¡¯s actions would effectively block aircraft imports without any formal ban.¡±?

China is one of the world¡¯s biggest air markets. A quarter of Boeing¡¯s aircraft was delivered to China in years past, though this number has fallen in recent years. It currently has 130 unfilled orders for Chinese airlines.?

Boeing¡¯s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, recently spoke before the U.S. Congress about Boeing¡¯s recent ¡°unacceptable¡± missteps and shared the company¡¯s plans to recover consumer confidence, improve safety standards and enhance employee training.?

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