US lawmaker warns Ryanair against buying Chinese-made planes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A senior U.S. lawmaker has warned Ryanair against purchasing Chinese-made aircraft due to security concerns, following comments by the CEO of the low-cost Irish airline that he would consider buying Chinese jets at the right price, according to a letter seen by Reuters. U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, said in the April 29 letter to Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary that Chinese planemaker COMAC has close ties to the Chinese military and that evidence indicates it has benefited from the illicit acquisition of foreign intellectual property. "Respectfully, U.S. and European airlines should not be even contemplating the future purchase of airplanes from Chinese military companies," said the letter from Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.