A Boeing 767-300 cargo plane lands at Ezhou Huahu Airport, China's first dedicated cargo hub airport on July 17, 2022. The airport, officially opening on July 17, is also the first of its kind in Asia and the fourth in the world. Photo: IC

The Boeing Company on Wednesday announced the appointment of Alvin Liu, a China market veteran as president of Boeing China, effective September 1, highlighting the importance of Chinese market to the aircraft maker.  

Liu has been serving in the role of president on an interim basis since July 10, following the announcement that his predecessor, Sherry Carbary, plans to retire later this year, concluding a 34-year career at Boeing. 

In his new role, Liu will be responsible for developing and implementing Boeing's growth and partnership strategies in one the company's largest commercial markets.

China continues to be of critical importance to Boeing, and Alvin has a unique understanding and deep appreciation of this market based on more than 20 years of senior leadership experience here, according to Brendan Nelson AO, president of Boeing Global.

The move shows that Boeing will pay more attention to localization team building, and it will take more measures to gradually recovery the market sales in China amid the complex background of China-US relations, Qi Qi, an independent market watcher told the Global Times on Wednesday.  

Prior to his appointment as Boeing China president, Liu led the company's government operations team in China.

Nearly 8,500 new aircraft, and $550 billion in commercial services, will be needed over the next 20 years in China and I am committed to making sure our team is ready to support our customers and meet that demand, Liu said. 

A native of Liaoning Province, Liu brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience in China to the position, including as vice chairman of Ford's Greater China Operations, vice president and general counsel of Ford's International Market Group, along with leadership roles at Chrysler and DaimlerChrysler AG. 

The Boeing Company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of introduction of Boeing aircraft to China, which came after the historic visit by President Richard Nixon to China. 

Currently, Boeing jets are a mainstay of China's commercial air travel and cargo system. The country's aerospace sector has a component role on every current Boeing commercial airplane model — the 737, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner. 

Boeing activity in China contributes more than $1.5 billion annually, including procurement from Boeing's extensive supply base, joint venture revenues, operations, training, and research and development investment.

The company said that about 90 percent of Boeing's 737 MAX jets in China have resumed commercial operation as of the end of June of this year.

China suspended commercial flights of the Boeing 737 MAX in March 2019 in the wake of two fatal crashes involving the plane.

China has become the biggest single country market of Airbus around the world. By the end of June of 2023, Airbus in-service fleet in the Chinese mainland reached 2,175 aircraft representing some 54 percent market share on the Chinese mainland.

Global Times