TAIPEI, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s China Airlines (2610.TW) opens in new tab politics over decision to buy Boeing (BA.N) or Airbus (AIR.PA) Opening a new tab, not under pressure, will open a new tab aircraft to revamp its fleet on long-haul routes, the company’s chairman said on Saturday.
Taiwan’s largest airline is purchasing the Boeing 777X and Airbus A350 to replace its fleet of 10 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which are mainly used on U.S. routes and some high-density regional routes, according to industry sources. The company is reportedly considering 1,000.
China Airlines Chairman Xie Shijian told reporters that the airline was considering which aircraft to use, and when asked whether there was political pressure in the decision, he answered “no.”
“When it comes to aircraft purchases, only China Airlines itself makes the evaluation. I want to make this clear,” Xie added.
Multibillion-dollar deals for new aircraft often involve political as well as business considerations. Particularly in the case of Taiwan, the government in Taipei, given the international situation and the pressure it faces to bow to China’s sovereignty claims, which its democratically elected people reject.
Despite having no formal diplomatic relations, the United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, and the Taiwanese government is the majority owner of China Airlines.
An industry executive, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that the timing of the deal with China Airlines was a complicating factor, given November’s U.S. presidential election.
In 2022, shortly after then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei and China’s war games began, China Airlines announced that it would be purchasing Boeing’s 787s for 4.6 billion to replace its aging Airbus A330 fleet. It was announced that the order was placed in US dollars.
China Airlines already operates 15 smaller Airbus A350-900s and nine freighter versions of the 777.
Xie said the 787s will start arriving next year, while a further 11 Airbus A321s, which will replace older Boeing 737-800s, will all arrive by 2026.
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Reporting by Ben Blanchard. Editing: David Holmes
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