New President Takes the Helm at Boeing China Amid Growing US-China Tensions

Alvin Liu was appointed president of Boeing’s China division on Wednesday. The aircraft manufacturer is struggling with a lack of US imports into the important aviation market and chose Liu, a Chinese-born executive who was recently hired from the auto industry.

Both Boeing and Airbus SE now employ top executives who were born in China.

Almost a quarter of all airplanes are imported from China, and because of trade and geopolitical concerns with Washington, China’s business relations with Boeing have suffered.

Following tragic incidents, it was the first nation to put Boeing’s 737 MAX on the shelf. Although the current planes have now been put back in service, China has been sluggish to restart imports, and political unrest has also affected more general jet purchases and imports.

According to Boeing, Liu is a native of the northeastern Chinese province of Liaoning. The business said he had been in charge of its government operations team in China but did not specify his age or nationality.

In the next 20 years, China will require 8,500 new aircraft and $550 billion in commercial services, according to Boeing.

Read Next: Tesla Slashes Prices for Select Model Y Versions in China

Liu to Lead Amid Geopolitical Strain

He succeeds Boeing veteran Sherry Carbary, who resigned as president of the China division in July and has been replaced in that role by Liu, who has held the position on an interim basis ever since.

Liu joined the business in 2022 after working for Ford and Chrysler in China in the auto industry.

Because of the geopolitical tensions between the two largest economies in the world, his hire comes at a challenging time for Boeing.

Moreover, it has made progress against Airbus, which recently declared intentions for a second airplane manufacturing facility in Tianjin.

Liu is the greatest candidate for Boeing as it strives to rebuild strong ties, according to independent aviation industry analyst Li Hanming, in part because he is physically in China.

 As of the end of June, according to the manufacturer, 90% of its MAX jets in China were back in service after the country grounded the model as a result of two fatal incidents in 2018–19.

He will officially take over as Boeing China President on September 1 and be based in Beijing, the firm announced.

Read Next: Boeing 777X Test Aircraft: A Glimpse into the $442 Million Jet

Source: Reuters