Boeing appointed former White House advisor Landon Loomis, who speaks fluent Mandarin, as the company’s China region president on Thursday, October 23rd, to succeed the retired Liu Qing.
The appointment of Landon Loomis highlights Boeing’s attempt to address the complex and uncertain market between China and the United States with a leader who is fluent in Chinese and familiar with Washington’s high-level politics.
Landon Loomis has deep expertise in the fields of aviation, diplomacy, and international policy. He is proficient in four languages – English, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish – and has lived and worked in ten countries across Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
Before joining Boeing in 2019, Landon Loomis spent five years as an aviation affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, overseeing aviation affairs portfolios and other projects, providing him with a thorough understanding of the regulatory environment and key participants in the Chinese aviation market. He then served as special advisor to former Vice President Mike Pence for over two years. He has also worked as a policy advisor at the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, focusing on trade regulatory affairs.
He will continue to serve as Boeing’s Vice President of Global Policy while overseeing daily operations, strategic planning, and senior government relationships at the Beijing office.
Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global Group, emphasized, “Landon Loomis’s extensive industry and government experience, combined with his years of living and working in China, will further solidify our long-term partnership and business here.”
As a top U.S. exporter, Boeing has been caught in the crossfire of U.S.-China trade tensions.
Earlier this month, President Trump warned of cutting off Boeing aircraft parts exports in response to the U.S. tightening restrictions on rare earth mineral exports to Beijing.
China briefly halted the delivery of new Boeing aircraft this year before quietly resuming. Despite the risks, Chinese airlines are still seeking significant deals with Boeing to purchase up to 500 aircraft. However, the final realization of this deal will depend on whether the U.S. and China can effectively resolve their trade disputes.