Chinese expansion still on the cards for Ford and Boeing
Boeing and Ford are continuing their Chinese expansion plans despite an economic slowdown in the country. Boeing is set to start work on its first foreign factory, located in the northeastern city of Zhoushan, by the end of March. The firm hopes the facility will deliver 100 planes per year, helping it catch up with rival Airbus, which already has a facility in Tianjin. Meanwhile, Ford plans to manufacture an all-new SUV in Chongqing for Chinese customers by the end of 2019, putting it in direct competition with other non-domestic luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz. 

U.S. firms Boeing and Ford are powering ahead with China expansion plans, betting big despite the country's economic slowdown.

Boeing is set to break ground on its first overseas plane factory by the end of this month, and will aim to deliver 100 planes per year, with the initial batch expected in 2018, Chinese state media reported.

Auto manufacturer Ford is also growing in Asia's largest economy with plans to produce an all-new SUV in China for Chinese customers by the end of 2019, according to a company spokesperson. The new vehicle will be built in Chongqing, and will put the U.S. car company head-to-head with other foreign luxury car brands in China, such as Mercedes-Benz, owned by Daimler .

China's transportation industry is booming — it's already the world's largest auto market and manufacturer globally, and commercial airlines have rushed to add routes as more airports open across the country. Major companies like Boeing and Ford are seeking opportunities to gain a greater slice of the market, despite a slowdown in growth in the world's second-largest economy.