Representatives of Boeing union workers on Wednesday threatened the airline manufacturer with mass protests if their jobs are given to Chinese workers. The threat was triggered by an announcement that Boeing is considering building a factory in China.

Boeing union members are set to stage their protests in front of the company's Washington plant. The labor union claims that Boeing's management and Chinese President Xi Jinping are making plans to set up a plane assembly and delivery facility in China.

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The affected American workers believe that they will lose their jobs as the plane company will transfer its factory in China and their work will be taken over by the Chinese nationals.

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg confirmed that the company is already making preparations to set up a facility in China and will transfer jobs there, according to Reuters.

Relocating to a factory in China is a strategic move on the part of Boeing if it wants to wrestle most of the Chinese orders for new planes away from Airbus.

Boeing believes that China's need for new commercial planes within the next 20 years will reach around $1 trillion. Boeing's and Airbus' share in the Chinese commercial airline plane market is about even. However, Airbus has already set up a Chinese factory almost seven years ago.

International Association of Machinist spokesperson Jon Holden warns that the proposed Chinese factory may mean the loss of jobs in the United States.

Holden told reporters that American Boeing workers feel betrayed by the company, which promised them that their jobs are secure.

The union spokesperson said Boeing representatives have explained that the proposed Chinese plant will only do finishing and painting work on the planes from the American factory.

In 2014, the state of Washington granted Boeing almost $9 billion worth of tax deductions in exchange for setting up their factory in the state. Workers agreed to surrender pension rights in exchange for their jobs. Holden said Boeing should not forget that keeping its factory and jobs in Washington is the reason why it got a big tax break from the state and why workers forfeited their pension rights.

Chinese construction executives told reporters that the proposed Boeing factory will need Beijing's nod.

Tagsboeing workers, boeing union, boeing ceo dennis muilenburg, Boeing china factory, boeing washington plant, boeing renton washington, international association of machinist