“Well, I meant when they could make commercial aircraft sufficiently capable that they needed to buy nothing from Boeing, apparently the only hard good the US makes the Chinese need right now.”
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Actually, China is building a section of the new Boeing 787 coming out soon. They make the rudder if I remember right.
Anyway, the entire 787 is a globalized effort. The wings are made in Japan, the fuselage in Italy, the cockpit in Wichita KS, the flaps made by Hawker deHaviland (in England? not sure). Some parts are made here in Chula Vista too, by Goodrich. Then all the pieces are airlifted to Seattle for final assembly.