After accusing Beijing of walking away from a major Boeing deal, the US President says the next move must come from China

US President Donald Trump has placed the responsibility on China to return to trade negotiations, following accusations that Beijing has backed out of a significant agreement involving aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

Speaking through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on 15 April, the White House issued a statement asserting, “The ball is in China’s court. They need to reach an agreement with us – we don’t need to make a deal with them.” She went on to remark that China is no different from other nations, “except in size.”

Trump’s remarks followed a Bloomberg report indicating that Chinese authorities had advised their national airlines to halt deliveries of Boeing aircraft and suspend acquisitions of related American aerospace parts. In response, Trump wrote on Truth Social that China had “reneged on the big Boeing deal” and was refusing to accept previously agreed aircraft.

Although Trump provided no specific information about the deal in question, his administration has recently raised tariffs dramatically — particularly on Chinese imports — with new levies reaching as high as 145 per cent.

The European Union has also been impacted by new tariffs, prompting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to describe transatlantic relations as “complicated.” She affirmed that both parties were making their positions clear, signalling cautious engagement rather than outright reconciliation.

Elsewhere, Canada has responded to Trump’s tariff policies by offering temporary relief to domestic automakers, provided they keep production within the country – a move designed to prevent a shift of operations to the US.

In further comments on 15 April, Trump accused China of falling short on past trade promises made during his previous administration, stating they had only purchased “a portion” of what was agreed. He also criticised the Biden administration, claiming China had shown “zero respect” under the previous president.

This year has seen the return of aggressive tariff measures under Trump, including a 10 per cent blanket duty on imports and a reinforced 125 per cent surcharge specifically on Chinese goods, though exemptions were made for certain electronics such as smartphones and laptops.

Defending American agriculture, Trump vowed to support US farmers, who, he said, “end up on the Front Line” during trade disputes, especially with China. Meanwhile, Beijing has responded with its own tariffs targeting American farm products and implemented a sweeping 125 per cent duty on a range of US imports.

Neither Boeing nor China’s foreign ministry has officially commented on the halted aircraft deliveries. Boeing’s share price fell by 2.4 per cent on the day the news broke.