China’s 2nd Stealth Fighter Jet After J-20 Looks To ‘Checkmate’ US F-35, Russian Su-75 With New Marketing Strategy
Posted: February 28, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, FC-31, PL-15E, stealth fighter 3 CommentsBy Ashish Dangwal- February 19, 2022
China’s FC-31 stealth fighter jet is still in its nascent stage, but the country is striving to make this warplane a success. In an effort to find prospective buyers, the FC-31’s maker has set up a separate office to promote the aircraft in the international market, state-owned Global Times (GT) claims.
The FC-31 is said to be a single-seat, twin-engine, medium-sized multi-role fighter jet featuring stealth, situational awareness, high maneuverability, highly integrated logistics. It is believed that the aircraft will be reasonably priced to attract foreign customers.
The GT report states that the fighter jet is directly competing with the US F-35 and Russia’s newest Su-75 Checkmate while underlining the fighter jet’s positive aspects such as sophisticated technology, reasonable pricing, the lack of political restrictions, and complete service.
Photo FC-31
Shenyang FC-31 – Wikipedia
Zhan Qiang, Deputy General Manager of the Shenyang Aircraft Company (SAC), a subsidiary of China’s state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC), apparently made significant headway in exploring the international armaments market, with the FC-31 as a key product to be supplied.
The report praised Zhan for organizing the SAC’s research resources, changing the company’s conventional planning-oriented marketing approach, and actively exploring the arms market for high-end aviation equipment, among other things. Air displays were used well by Zhan to demonstrate the FC-31’s technological advantages, the publication said.
Zhan has reportedly gathered resources from the manufacturing company, research institute, and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation to open an office. The goal of the office is to endorse FC-31 exports through a development strategy known as “self-oriented active promoting”, which aims to foster specific users.
Although the FC-31 is not currently in service with the PLAAF, it appears that the manufacturer is working hard to even offer it to the Chinese military. The latest effort is part of a plan, according to the company, to allow the FC-31 to serve two markets: domestic and international.
Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, was quoted by Global Times as saying that the international market for stealth fighter jets is far from saturated, and the FC-31 will be very competitive.
Wei emphasized that the F-35 stealth fighter jet is primarily aimed at US allies and partners and that many countries desire to buy one but lack the necessary funding or are subject to a myriad of US export restrictions. “Russia has revealed its new Su-75 stealth fighter, but it has yet to make its maiden flight,” he added.
Wei highlighted the purported benefits of acquiring the China stealth jet over the American ones, stressing that Beijing could even have greater cooperation with a client by creating assembly lines in the customer’s country.
“China’s FC-31 is technically mature, can be fully domestically produced and enjoys advantages including high technology, acceptable pricing, the lack of political restrictions and complete service, as China can also provide a full set of airborne equipment and weapons,” Wei was quoted as saying.
Catering To Domestic Market
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation has developed the FC-31 independently, unlike the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, which develops the J-20, and hence did not have the same level of government funding.
The plane took its maiden flight in 2012, but it wasn’t officially unveiled to the public until the 2014 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. Despite displays at exhibitions, the FC-31 is yet to be sold to any foreign customer.
Therefore, it seems Shenyang Aircraft Corporation shifted its attention from the international market. Even though the PLA Air Force has not shown any interest in the FC-31, speculation is rife that China’s PLA Navy (PLAN) might consider adding this to its carrier-based air wings.
It’s pertinent to note that an FC-31 lookalike model surfaced aboard a land-based mock aircraft carrier in Wuhan last year, indicating PLAN could be a potential customer.
Apart from the F-35, this is claimed to be the world’s second stealth carrier-based fighter plane. However, Kris Osborn, writing for The National Interest, stated, “The Chinese J-31 jet somewhat lacks when it comes to F-35B-like vertical take-off-and-landing, and any ability to parallel, replicate, or in any way ‘match’ the computing, sensing, and weapons capabilities of an F-35 jet.”
Despite the fact that the aircraft has not been a commercial success, the manufacturer continues to upgrade and promote it on a regular basis. An FC-31 mock-up, along with models of PL-15E beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, was put on display at the Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province.
The same missile is used by China’s J-20 stealth fighter jet. The PL-15E has a maximum range of 145 kilometers guided with a combination of inertial, satellite navigation, datalink and active radar.
Source: EurAsian Times “China’s 2nd Stealth Fighter Jet After J-20 Looks To ‘Checkmate’ US F-35, Russian Su-75 With New Marketing Strategy”
Note: This is EurAsian Times’ report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the report’s views.
As war breaks out in Europe, China blames the US
Posted: February 26, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, expansion, national security, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, US, West 15 CommentsBy Simone McCarthy and CNN’s Beijing bureau
Updated 1602 GMT (0002 HKT) February 25, 2022
(CNN)As Russian missiles flew through the Ukrainian sky Thursday and world leaders decried an invasion spreading across the country, China refused to condemn Russia’s move outright, while appearing to levy blame on the United States and its allies.
Beijing finds itself in a complex position as Russia’s invasion of its neighbor intensifies, needing to balance a close strategic partnership with Moscow with its seemingly contradictory policy of supporting state sovereignty.
A Chinese government official Thursday sidestepped questions over whether it would condemn Russia’s actions or consider it an “invasion.”
Instead, China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying — who repeated staid lines about seeking peace through dialogue and said the situation was “not what we would hope to see” — was quick to point the finger at the US, implying that Washington was a “culprit” for “fanning up flames,” referring to US warnings in recent weeks of an imminent invasion.
“China has taken a responsible attitude and persuaded all parties not to escalate tensions or incite war…Those who follow the US’ lead in fanning up flames and then shifting the blame onto others are truly irresponsible,” she said.
The comments echoed those made a day earlier, prior to the invasion, when Hua blamed the crisis on “NATO expansion eastward all the way to Russia’s doorstep.”
“Did it ever think about the consequences of pushing a big country to the wall?” she said.
The presence of Hua at the briefing both days was itself unusual, as the veteran spokeswoman had not been at the podium in such briefings since she was promoted to assistant minister for foreign affairs in October.
Her comments were widely disseminated across China’s official state media and social media platforms, where talk of Ukraine dominated coverage and conversation.
‘War is not funny’
But while state media reflected the official government line, top trending topics on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, included a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin with more than 360 million views, as well as others looking at how Ukrainian citizens were reacting, such as a post on people lining up to donate blood with 62 million views.
The topic “Ukraine President says Western countries completely give up on Ukraine,” topped the list in the morning, raking up over 1 billion views throughout the day and tens of thousands of comments.
Many of those comments on the highly moderated platform mocked Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky for being “pro-West” and cheered for Russia and Putin.
But others pushed back: “War is not funny at all,” wrote one user, whose post was liked over 60,000 times. “It makes me feel physically sick to see all the jokes about war.”
Elsewhere online, homepages of China’s major state media outlets took a measured approach, citing statements and news from both the Ukrainian and Russian side, while putting focus on sanctions leveraged by other countries against Russia.
Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily highlighted comments from China’s Foreign Ministry pointing to how the US had been “increasing tensions and hyping up war.”
A glimpse of the kind of guidance that state media may be under emerged Tuesday, when what appeared to be an internal memo from Chinese state media Beijing News directing its employees not to publish news reports “negative to Russia or pro-West” was mistakenly published on the outlet’s official social media account.
The post, which was swiftly deleted, also directed employees to “filter and release proper comments.” Beijing government-controlled Beijing News declined CNN’s request for comment on the incident.
A relationship with ‘no limits’
The Russian invasion comes on the heels of a meeting earlier this month between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Putin, who made a show of their strong bond with a highly publicized meeting ahead of the Beijing Olympics and declared “no limits” to their relationship.
But an outright backing of Russian moves would put China at odds with the West. It would also contradict China’s usual vocal support for state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
How the world can make Putin pay for invading Ukraine
How the world can make Putin pay for invading Ukraine
In a phone conversation between Xi and Putin on Friday, Xi said China “decides its position based on the merits of the Ukraine issue itself,” and that China supports Russia and Ukraine resolving their issue through negotiation, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
“China is willing to work with all parties in the international community to advocate a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept,” Xi reportedly added.
The high-level call follows talks between China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov Thursday, in which Wang expressed understanding for Russia’s “legitimate concerns” on security issues, but said “China always respects all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a statement by China’s Foreign Ministry.
China has denied that it was complicit in Russia’s moves, but Western leaders are paying close attention to the Moscow-Beijing relationship as events in Ukraine unfold.
As Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled new sanctions against Russia Friday, he said he was “concerned at the lack of a strong response from China.”
Morrison said China’s move to begin importing Russian wheat — based on an agreement made earlier this month — was “unacceptable” as Australia, the US, Europe, the United Kingdom and Japan acted “to cut off” Russia.
China hit back at the West’s decision to slap a swath of economic sanctions on Russia in recent days. In her comments Wednesday, Hua pointed to China’s position that sanctions are “never” effective.
“Will the Ukraine issue resolve itself thanks to the US sanctions on Russia? Will European security be better guaranteed thanks to the US sanctions on Russia?” she asked.
CNN’s Isaac Yee contributed to this report
Source: CNN “As war breaks out in Europe, China blames the US”
Note: This is CNN’s report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the report’s views.
China throws Russia a lifeline
Posted: February 26, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, lifeline, Russia, sanctions, wheat trade, yuan settlement 1 CommentAsia Financial newsletter@asiafinancial.com via “hamfrj.shared.klaviyomail.com”
Feb 25 21:37 (11 hours ago)
China goes against the grain lifting Russia wheat curbs
China has removed all restrictions on wheat imports from Russia, throwing an economic lifeline to its ally just as Western governments are starting to sanction it for invading Ukraine. The announcement to remove the restrictions, in place earlier because of concerns related to plant diseases, came just hours after Russian troops attacked Kyiv. China’s ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, said the previous day that China was “pleased” to see that its currency has been widely used in Russian trade and was also looking forward to discussions about yuan settlements in bilateral energy deals. Zhang said 17.5% of trade between China and Russia was settled in yuan in 2020, from just 3.1% in 2014 and both sides were looking to use yuan for oil and gas contracts.
Bilateral settlements in the Chinese currency would help Russia at a time when its banks are being locked out of western money markets. Russia is China’s second-largest source of crude imports after Saudi Arabia and significantly expanded energy exports to the country in wide-ranging deals signed between President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin this month. The South China Morning Post reported that the yuan now accounted for 12.8% of Russian foreign exchange reserves while Sino-Russia trade jumped nearly 36% from a year earlier to a record high of $146.9 billion last year.
China is Russia’s single-largest trade partner and Moscow is hoping a significant expansion in exports to China will help it survive the western backlash. China, for its part, has pointedly refrained from criticising Russia for its actions even though it hasn’t extended any support, balancing the need to maintain its relations with the European Union while pursuing a stronger alliance with Russia. The same day Russia invaded Ukraine, Taiwan’s air force scrambled to warn away nine Chinese aircraft that entered its air defence zone, the latest in an increasingly frequent Chinese exercise.
Source: asianfinancial.com’s Asian Financial newsletter “China throws Russia a lifeline”
Note: This is Asian Financial newsletter I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the report’s views.
US Sanctions Ineffective, Unable to Stop Russia in Ukraine
Posted: February 25, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Russia, sanctions, US 6 CommentsThe US has imposed lots of sanctions on lots of countries, but most of them are ineffective, but it has taken no lessons and continue to do so in vain. Take its sanctions on Russia for example. When Russia annexed Crimea and gave military support to the separatists in eastern Ukraine, the US and its allies imposed sanctions on Russia, but the sanctions have not scared Russia. They have made Russia see that sanctions cannot hurt it and realize its strong points in dealing with sanctions.
At that time, Russia imposed counter sanctions on EU by banning imports of processed food from EU. Before the sanctions, Russia tried hard to make its people accept Russia-made processed food but in vain but after the counter sanctions, Russia greatly improved the quality of homemade processed food and made the processed food it produces accepted by Russian general public. That has enabled Russia to save quite a lot of foreign exchange in importing EU’s processed food and caused EU to lose its processed food market in Russia.
I had a reblog today from Washington Times entitled “US Defense Firms Could Take Hit as West Sanctions Russia” on the US may hurt its own enterprises by its imposition of sanctions on Russia. I believe that the US knows its sanctions do not hurt, but that is the only thing it can do to display its opposition.
Comment by Chan Kai Yee on Washington Times’ article, full text of which can be viewed at https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/feb/24/biden-imposes-new-sanctions-export-controls-punish/?
China Supports Russia Fully Only Not Military Calls Europe to Think about Ways to Protect Peace
Posted: February 24, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, Europe, peace, Russia, Ukraine, US 12 CommentsReuters says in its report “China rejects calling Russia move ‘invasion,’ urges its citizens in Ukraine to stay home” today that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying believes due to Ukraine’s complex history, China would not jump into conclusion and define Russia’s move in Ukraine as aggression.
Hua says that China would support Russia economically and diplomatically but not militarily. However, maintaining cross-strait tensions to make the US focus on protecting Taiwan in Asia and refrain from fighting Russia is quite strong military support. As a wise military strategy, military support need not be direct military involvement, diversion of military focus may play quite a great role in reducing the military forces against one’s ally.
In Chinese military history, there was the well-known wise strategy of besieging the State of Wei to rescue the State of Zhao (being besieged by the State of Wei). That is why Sun Tze teaches generals to take ingenious surprise move while confronting the enemy on the front.
In addition, the report says that Hua called on Europe to reflect on how it can better protect its peace. That is a call on Europe to reach agreement with Russia for mutual security independent from the US as the Ukraine crisis has proved that the United States has to focus on countering China in Asia and is unable to protect Europe when it needs to concentrate its strength in dealing with China.
Comment by Chan Kai Yee on Reuters’ report, full text of which can be viewed at
J-10C serves regional security interests
Posted: February 23, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, F-16, J-10C, Pakistan, Rafale 23 Comments4.5-generation medium-sized fighter jet is significantly more powerful than JF-17, F-16
Our Correspondent
February 22, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
After images of the J-10C fighter jet with Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) marking recently went viral, Chinese analysts have lauded the latest defence cooperation between China and Pakistan, saying that the move holds great significance for both countries as it boosts the combat capabilities of the Pakistani military, promotes China’s aviation equipment, and serves regional security interests.
First published on social media last week, the images show two J-10Cs, equipped with China’s domestically developed WS-10B Taihang turbofan engines, undertaking test flights at an undisclosed location.
“If confirmed, this could be the first time China has exported the J-10 series fighter and also the first time it has exported the WS-10 series engine,” observers said in communication with Global Times.
“The J-10C will significantly enhance the combat capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force,” Chinese analysts said.
“The J-10C is a 4.5-generation medium-sized fighter jet and is more powerful than the China-Pakistan jointly developed lightweight fighter jet, the JF-17, which is currently in service with the Pakistan Air Force,” Shipborne Weapons Executive Chief Editor Shi Hong told the Global Times.
“The J-10C is larger and can be equipped with a bigger active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar than the one used by the JF-17 Block 3,” Shi said, noting that the J-10C can also carry more advanced, fourth-generation air-to-air missiles, including the short-range PL-10 and the beyond-visual-range PL-15.
“The J-10C is also significantly more powerful than the old US-made F-16 fighter jet of PAF and can rival the Rafale fighter jet that recently entered service with the Indian Air Force,” Shi said.
“Pakistan’s J-10C will not replace the JF-17, but form a combination, leading to higher combat capabilities,” Shi said.
In addition to the J-10C, Pakistan’s other military branches have also recently commissioned advanced Chinese equipment. For example, the navy received the first Type 054A/P frigate, and the army acquired the HQ-9/P air defence missile system, according to media reports.
“This demonstrates that defence cooperation between China and Pakistan is going even wider and deeper, and the large-scale adaptation of Chinese equipment by all Pakistani military services will significantly boost their combat capabilities,” Shi said, noting that a simple system with most Chinese hardware can also be supply chain friendly.
To China, the first successful sale of the J-10 series fighter and the WS-10 series engine will further open the international market and more countries will show serious interests in Chinese aviation equipment, analysts said.
“Pakistan’s procurement of the J-10C is also meaningful for China and Pakistan as a more powerful Pakistan military can better safeguard the shared interests of the two countries in the region,” Shi said.
Source: Tribune.com.pk “J-10C serves regional security interests”
Note: This is tribune.com.pk’s report I post here for readers’ information. It does not mean whether I agree or disagree with the report’s views.
Ridiculous, US Punishes Parts of Ukraine, Not Russia with sanctions
Posted: February 22, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: DNR, LNR, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, US 3 CommentsRussia sent troops into the two Ukrainian regions that have claimed independence from Ukraine but says that they enter Ukraine as peacekeeper to avoid giving the impression of Russian invasion. The US regards the Russian move as Russian invasion but punishes not Russia but the two regions with sanctions.
As unlike Russia that has claimed recognition of the two region as countries independent from Ukraine, the US does not recognize the independence of the two Ukrainian separatist regions DNR and LNR but punishes them with sanctions that “prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine” according to Defense One’s report “Putin Orders Russian Troops to Invade Eastern Ukraine” yesterday.
As the US still regards those regions as Ukrainian ones, the US is punishing Ukraine instead of Russia.
Comment by Chan Kai Yee on Defense One’s report, full text of which can be viewed at https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022/02/putin-orders-russian-troops-invade-eastern-ukraine/362237/.
China Plans to Build 11 Dams Upstream Major Indian River
Posted: February 22, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bangladesh, China, dam, India, Yarlung Tsangpo 2 CommentsInterestengineering.com says in its article “China’s New Dam Project Could Dwarf the Three Gorges Dam” that China has announced it would construct 11 dams “on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (the upper part of the river which becomes the Brahmaputra in India)”. The potential construction has been India’s concern for a long time, but the huge amount of electricity generated by the hydraulic power station on the dams is too attractive for China not only economically but also environmentally as according to the article, “The proposed dam(s) is part of China’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2060.”
A lot of diplomacy may be needed for China to make India and Bangladesh accept the projects, but that does not seem to worry China. The article quotes Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying as saying, “China will continue to maintain communication with India and Bangladesh through existing channels. There is no need for the outside world to over-interpret it”.
This blogger does not believe the dams will bring much trouble to India and Bangladesh downstream as after all the water will flow downstream without significant reduction in volume. However, if water will be diverted through the dam to China’s dry areas, there will be great reduction in the volume. However, so far there has not been any declared plans.
Comment by Chan Kai Yee on entrestingengineering.com’s article, full text of which can be viewed at https://interestingengineering.com/chinas-new-dam-project-could-dwarf-the-three-gorges-dam?utm_source=newsletter-video&utm_medium=mailing&utm_campaign=newsletter-21-02-2022.
Biden’s Stupid Ignorance of Putin’s Tricks
Posted: February 21, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, cross-strait tensions, Minsk Agreement, Russia, Russia’s security, Ukraine crisis, US, Wang Yi 2 CommentsFirst, Putin coordinates with Xi’s cross-strait tensions in raising Ukraine tensions to aggravate US trouble by adding tensions in Europe to those in Asia. As the US regards China as its major potential enemy, it will not contribute much resource in Europe to help Ukraine. As a result, Putin may prove that the US is unable to protect EU if it has to focus on Asia. By so doing he may convince EU that it cannot rely on US protection and has to seek security through independent talks with Russia. If Putin can reach security agreement with EU, he may benefit not only from European security but also from closer economic cooperation with EU.
Second, even if he cannot reach the said agreement, his amassing of troops will give rise to severe problems to Ukrainian economy and panic among Ukrainian troops and people. The economic hardship may cause Russian Ukrainians to rise up for independence and close relations with Russia. It will draw major EU members into further talks to make the Minsk agreement really operative to ensure the pro-Russia eastern Ukraine constituting a buffer between EU and Russia to enhance Russia’s as well as EU’s security.
That will also make EU more independent from the US.
Biden is stupid in predicting imminent Russia invasion of Ukraine. He has been doing so in spite of Russia’s repeated declaration that Russia had no intention of invasion. He helps Russia in aggravating Ukraine’s economic hardship.
Reuters seems to understand Putin’s intention better by its relatively prominent report “China foreign minister says Minsk Agreement ‘only way out’ on Ukraine” on February 19, 2022 about China’s support for Russia’s efforts for independence of a pro-Russia eastern Ukraine.
Comment by Chan Kai Yee on Reuters’ report, full text of which can be viewed at https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/china-foreign-minister-say-minsk-agreement-only-way-out-ukraine-2022-02-19/.
Tiananmen's Tremendous Achievements 