Malaysia has committed to purchasing another 30 Boeing aircraft from the US, valued at US$9.5 billion, as one of the conditions to reduce the US tariff on Malaysian imports.
The US previously imposed a 25% tariff on Malaysian imports effective Aug 1, a rate which was reduced to 19% today after several rounds of negotiations.
“We have made some commitments regarding commercial considerations, one of which is the purchase of Boeing aircraft,” said investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz at a press conference here today.
“Malaysia is set to buy a second phase of Boeing aircraft from the US, valued US$9.5 billion, matching the value of the first phase purchase.”
In March, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) had placed an order for 30 Boeing 737 aircraft with the planes to be delivered to the company by 2030.
Anwar said the 30 planes for MAG, which is the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, comprise 18 Boeing 737-8 aircraft and 12 Boeing 737-10s.
Orders for hundreds of Boeing jets have been announced over the past week in deals with Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and other countries as part of negotiations to reduce US tariffs.
