U.S. Considers Controls on Boeing Parts Amid Rare-Earth Dispute

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said the United States could impose export controls on Boeing aircraft parts as part of a response to Chinese limits on rare-earth exports.
The move, flagged at the White House, follows Beijing's April order for Chinese carriers to temporarily pause Boeing deliveries during broader trade tensions. Boeing has reportedly discussed a potential sale of up to 500 jets to China, though analysts note China now represents under 5% of Boeing's backlog versus as much as 25% historically.
A parts ban would affect suppliers beyond Boeing, including CFM International (the GE-Safran joint venture) that produces the LEAP engine for the 737 MAX, and GE engines used on 777 and 787 models. Airbus holds roughly 185 Chinese orders and operates an A320 assembly line in Tianjin.
China is accelerating its COMAC C919 program as an A320/737 competitor, with about 365 orders, but production has been slowed by shortages of Western-supplied components; COMAC delivered only five of the 32 jets expected this year.
Analysts say the direct financial hit to Boeing would likely be limited, but the dispute underscores growing supply-chain vulnerabilities in global aviation.