US President Donald Trump believes China, not the United States, must take the next step in trade negotiations, the White House said Tuesday, following his accusation that Beijing backed out of a significant aircraft deal with Boeing.

“The ball is in China's court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don't have to make a deal with them,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, reading from a statement by Trump during a press briefing. “There's no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger,” she added.

“They just reneged on the big Boeing deal, saying that they will 'not take possession' of fully committed to aircraft,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, without specifying which deal he was referencing.

Trump’s remarks followed a Bloomberg report announcing that Beijing had instructed Chinese airlines to halt further deliveries of Boeing jets and delay purchases of related US aircraft parts and equipment.

The decision marks a significant escalation in the ongoing trade dispute between the world's two largest economies and delivers a fresh blow to Boeing, which has long counted China among its most important growth markets. Shares of the US planemaker fell 2% in early trading following the news.

According to the report, China's three largest carriers, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, had collectively planned to receive nearly 180 Boeing jets between 2025 and 2027. Those deliveries are now on hold, potentially opening the door for European rival Airbus and China’s domestic aircraft manufacturer COMAC to further expand their market share.

Beijing has also reportedly directed Chinese airlines to halt the purchase of aircraft-related equipment and parts from US suppliers, a move that could significantly raise maintenance costs for existing Boeing jets operating in the country. 

The Chinese government is considering offering support to domestic carriers leasing Boeing aircraft, many of whom now face ballooning costs due to the ongoing trade war, Bloomberg said. 

Since returning to office earlier this year, Trump has reintroduced sweeping tariffs on international trade, with China bearing the brunt, facing an additional 145 percent tariff on numerous exports to the US.

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