GE Aerospace confirmed July 7 that engine deliveries into China have resumed, but the company has not provided further detail.
The Trump administration had suspended sales of aircraft technologies to China for use by state-owned commercial aircraft manufacturer Comac sometime around the end of May. The move was seen as one point of leverage in on-again, off-again trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.
Some kind of arrangement was reached in late June, although scarce details have been revealed. It was not known whether the agreement represented progress in achieving a new framework or simply a move toward de-escalating recent trade tensions.
According to Reuters, the U.S. told GE on July 3 it can restart jet engine shipments to Comac. A GE representative confirmed the news to Aviation Week.
The trade dispute has been a headache for GE, but it is not stopping the aerospace engine giant from reporting strong financial results this year. The company on July 17 is expected to report second-quarter earnings and managers already have said sales growth should be ahead of the first quarter’s nearly 12% year-over-year gain.
Wall Street analysts widely expected GE to raise its financial guidance for 2025 during presentations at the recent Paris Air Show, but GE and Boeing backed out of making any major announcements or appearances in respect of the fatal Air India Flight 171 crash.
Nonetheless, analysts at Jefferies expect GE essentially to raise its adjusted pretax earnings guidance 3% for this year, and possibly 10% for 2028. GE’s share price has risen around 47% this year into the July Fourth U.S. holiday, compared with 6% in the S&P benchmark.
