(Reuters) -Boeing is in talks to sell as many as 500 jets to China, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of the U.S. planemaker rose 2% before the market open as the potential order would be China's first major purchase of Boeing jets since U.S. President Donald Trump's visit in his previous term.

Reports have emerged that Boeing is preparing to close a landmark deal with China that would see it sell as many as 500 commercial jets to the country's airlines. The Asian nation is a market that has seen the US planemaker experience struggles in recent years,