U.S. Lifts Restrictions on Aircraft Engine Exports to China

Recently, the U.S. government informed General Electric Aviation (GE Aerospace) that it can resume supplying aircraft engines to China. This move signals a further easing of trade tensions between the U.S. and China. According to sources, at least one other unnamed aerospace company was also granted permission to resume shipments to China on the same day.

A few months ago, U.S.-China trade conflicts escalated. In May, the Trump administration halted export licenses for a range of technologies, including EDA software, ethane, aircraft engines, and nuclear equipment, citing China's restrictions on rare earth mineral exports. These measures disrupted supply chains in industries such as automotive, aerospace, semiconductors, and defense, casting a shadow over the prospects of a bilateral trade agreement. However, following the recent lifting of export restrictions on EDA and ethane, the U.S. Department of Commerce has now eased restrictions on aircraft engine exports, signaling ongoing efforts to resolve differences.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington has not yet commented on the matter, and neither GE Aerospace nor the U.S. Department of Commerce have responded to inquiries. Honeywell Aerospace, which provides auxiliary power systems, tires, brakes, and navigation equipment to China, also declined to comment. Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, refused to disclose the status of its export licenses.

However, as of now, there have been no reports indicating that the U.S. Department of Commerce has lifted export restrictions on nuclear equipment suppliers such as Westinghouse and Emerson.