Taiwan's China Airlines is not experiencing any political influence regarding its decision on whether to purchase Boeing or Airbus aircraft for the modernization of its long-haul fleet, according to the company's chairman on Saturday.

As the largest airline in Taiwan, the carrier is considering Boeing's 777X and the Airbus A350-1000 as potential replacements for its fleet of 10 Boeing 777-300ERs, which primarily serve U.S. routes and some high-density regional destinations, as reported by industry sources.

Chairman Hsieh Shih-chien informed reporters that the airline is still evaluating its options and, when asked about any political pressure affecting the decision, he responded with a firm "no."

Hsieh emphasized, "The assessment regarding aircraft purchases is solely made by China Airlines. I want to make this clear."

Typically, multibillion-dollar aircraft deals must consider both political and business factors, particularly in Taiwan's context, where the government faces pressure regarding China's sovereignty claims, which are not recognized by the democratically elected administration in Taipei.

Despite lacking formal diplomatic relations, the United States remains Taiwan's key international ally and arms supplier, while the Taiwan government is the majority owner of China Airlines.

A senior industry source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation, indicated to Reuters that the timing of the China Airlines deal is complicated by the upcoming U.S. elections in November.

In 2022, following then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, which prompted Chinese military exercises, China Airlines announced a $4.6 billion order for Boeing's 787 to replace its aging Airbus A330 fleet.

Currently, China Airlines operates 15 Airbus A350-900s and nine freighter versions of the 777. Hsieh noted that the first 787s are expected to arrive next year, while an additional 11 Airbus A321s, intended to replace older Boeing 737-800s, will be delivered before 2026.