Bloomberg
The Biden administration is engaging with China in an effort to win approval for Boeing Co’s 737 Max planes, which remain banned in the country even as other jurisdictions have reauthorised it following crashes.
“We’re absolutely working on it,†Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in an interview on Tuesday with Bloomberg Television’s David Westin. “China’s a big market, and we have to make sure American companies can do business there and export there.â€
The Max has returned to service in most of the Americas and Europe after two deadly crashes more than two years ago. But China, the first country to ground the Max, has yet to lift its ban on flying the plane. The country’s airlines last announced orders for the single-aisle workhorse when Barack Obama was in the White House.
The two countries have yet to resume formal trade negotiations since President Joe Biden took office and initiated a broad review of China relations.
Raimondo also said she had spoken with Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dave Calhoun.
Raimondo noted that Tuesday brought positive news for Boeing, with the US and the European Union agreeing to extend a tariff truce for five years — parking a dispute over aircraft subsidies given to Airbus SE and Boeing that saw the allies impose duties on $11.5 billion of each other’s exports.