Trade tensions between the United States and China have reached a new level after the US government announced the suspension of exports of critical technologies to the Chinese aerospace industry.
According to the New York Times, the measure includes blocking exports of parts and components for the Chinese COMAC C909 and C919 jets, which use turbofan engines manufactured by American and European companies.
The US Department of Commerce has suspended supply licenses for companies such as General Electric and the joint venture CFM International — formed by GE Aerospace and France’s Safran — directly affecting the supply of CF34 and Leap-1C engines, used respectively in the regional jets C909 (formerly known as ARJ21) and C919 from the Chinese state-owned manufacturer COMAC.
The decision is seen as a direct retaliation against restrictions imposed by Beijing in April, when China suspended exports of rare earth metals — key resources for industries like automotive, aerospace, microelectronics, and the global military-industrial complex. Chinese authorities justified the suspension as part of the implementation of a new domestic regulatory framework.
With these new sanctions, the United States reinforces its control over strategic technologies at a time of growing distrust regarding the reliability of China’s supply of essential materials. Washington fears that sudden disruptions in supply chains could impact critical sectors of the economy and national security.
The disruption of engine and component supplies is a significant blow to China’s ambition to become a self-sufficient power in civil aviation. The C909 and C919 models, developed to compete with Western jets from Airbus and Boeing, still rely heavily on foreign suppliers, especially for their propulsion systems.
Source: The New York Times | Telegram @AviaCT. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
