• Development comes amid US-China trade as Beijing received tariff truce for 3 more months
• Purchasing order is seen as key element in trade talks between Beijing, Washington, claims report

ISTANBUL 

Boeing is in talks to finalize an agreement with China to sell as many as 500 aircraft, Bloomberg reported Thursday.

The report claimed that negotiations are underway about jet models, quantities, and delivery schedules, with the sale depending on easing trade tensions from US President Donald Trump's first term and may still collapse.

Chinese officials are consulting with airlines on needs, and the deal could mirror a pending China’s Airbus order from France for up to 500 planes, it added.

The report came amid trade talks between the US and China as Beijing received a tariff truce for three additional months beginning Aug. 12.

The Boeing order is seen as the key element of a trade deal benefiting Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, following lengthy and at times contentious negotiations, according to the report.

Boeing’s previous Chinese deal, which was announced in November 2017 during Trump’s state visit, involved 300 planes worth $37 billion.​​​​​​​