RENTON, Wash. — In a significant escalation of the ongoing trade war, Chinese airlines are reportedly refusing to accept deliveries of new Boeing jets, a move that could have substantial repercussions for the aerospace giant and the local economy.

Bloomberg reports that China has instructed its airlines to cease purchasing airline parts from American companies, including Boeing, leaving planes manufactured in Washington state without buyers.

"Frankly, the Chinese have not been ordering from Boeing, so the bigger issue here is Boeing delivering some of the planes they have already built for the Chinese," said George Ferguson, an airline industry expert with Bloomberg Intelligence.

The development comes as Boeing is striving to regain passenger trust following a series of safety issues with the 737 and a costly strike that impacted the company financially. Boeing remains a critical component of Washington's economy, generating $71 billion in revenue for state businesses in 2023 and supporting 194,000 jobs with $19.4 billion in worker wages, according to the company's website.

The exact number of Boeing plane orders affected by China's decision is currently unknown. Efforts to obtain a response from Boeing are ongoing.