Boeing CEO warns of lost sales from US-China trade impasse

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun warned that an extended impasse between the US and China over long-simmering trade issues will have competitive consequences for the largest American exporter. “We can’t afford to be locked out of that market. Our competitor will jump right in,” Calhoun said of European rival Airbus Wednesday. “Nothing good comes from restricted trade.” China is one of the last regulators of consequence that still hasn’t cleared Boeing’s 737 Max jetliners to resume flying after two fatal crashes that prompted a global grounding. China Eastern, a state-owned airline, revealed Wednesday that it is negotiating with Boeing for a potential Max order but cautioned of “great uncertainty” as to when deliveries would be allowed to resume. Boeing didn’t notch any orders from China for the Max, a critical source of revenue, while former President Donald Trump was in office, according to data posted on the company’s website. The planemaker sold two 777 freighters to China Cargo last year, breaking a sales drought that extended to late 2017. Calhoun praised the Biden administration for making progress with the European Union to end aircraft tariffs, while acknowledging the complex disagreements China will be far tougher to untangle.<br/>