The US Has Threatened To Leave China Without Airplane Parts

• 20.10.2025, 20:31

Amid escalating trade conflict with Beijing.

US President Donald Trump said Washington could stop supplying airplane parts to China amid an escalating trade conflict with Beijing.

"They threatened us with rare earth elements, and I threatened them with duties. But I could have threatened other things - like airplanes. After all, they can't get parts for their airplanes. We build their airplanes," Trump said, speaking to reporters.

October 11, Trump talked about possibly imposing export controls on Boeing and limiting the supply of parts for Chinese airlines. This, as the head of state pointed out, would be a response to Beijing's decision to tighten exports of rare earth metals needed for American industry, notes The Moscow Times.

China has long been one of the largest customers of the American aircraft giant - it accounted for up to a quarter of all Boeing orders - but the figure has now dropped to less than 5%. Chinese airlines operate 1,855 Boeing airplanes and have ordered at least 222 more airliners, according to analytics firm Cirium.

The trade standoff began to escalate after Beijing restricted exports of rare earth metals. In response, Trump canceled a meeting with Chinese President Si Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea. On Nov. 1, the U.S. will impose additional 100 percent tariffs on imports from China, which will increase the overall duty level to 130 percent.