China unveils the J-35 fighter jet, the invisible jet that challenges the US

China unveiled to the public for the first time its latest stealth fighter, the latest model made by Beijing to modernise its armed forces and compete with the US. The land-based stealth fighter J-35A was unveiled on Tuesday at the opening of the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, southern China, the city where a man in an SUV plowed into a crowd in front of a sports centre yesterday, killing at least 35 people in what is the country's worst massacre in 10 years.

The show is one of Asia's largest military aircraft exhibitions. Although details on the J-35's performance are limited, analysts said the launch marked a key step in China's efforts to modernise its armed forces and challenge US dominance in the Asia-Pacific region, especially around Taiwan, over which Beijing claims sovereignty.

The Chinese claim that it is designed 'primarily for air combat operations' and is capable of launching 'also air-to-surface attacks'. They speak of 'a new type of stealth jet developed independently by Avic (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)' after a design process that went on for ten years. It is not clear when it will be deployed, nor where it will be deployed, but its debut makes China the second country in the world, after the US, to have two stealth aircraft models. The J-20 has in fact been in service since 2017, according to statements at the time from the Asian giant. Other new weaponry also debuted in Zhuhai, such as the Jiu Tian reconnaissance and attack drone and the HQ-19 anti-missile system, of which the Chinese are very proud. Also in the spotlight is the Ch-7, a stealth drone, capable of operating at greater distances over the Pacific Ocean and more accurately tracking the movements of adversaries. Meanwhile, the Navy deploys its J-15T jet, a new version of the J-15.

While the People's Republic continues with the modernisation of its Armed Forces, its ambitions on invisible aircraft have been the focus of accusations for years, always rejected by the Asian giant. But what happens in Zhuhai, is for the Trump Administration that will take office in January, another reminder of the formidable capabilities of the Chinese Air Force that the US will have to reckon with in the coming years. The close military relationship between Moscow and Beijing is also on display in Zhuhai. For the first time, Vladimir Putin's most modern Russian jet, the Su-57, flies abroad for an exhibition. And visiting China since yesterday is the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Sergei Shoigu.