With an eye on the Southeast Asian market, China is showcasing some of its most advanced combat jets, including battle-tested J-10C and the latest J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter, at Asia’s biggest and most popular air show.
Held biennially, the Singapore Air Show has a reputation as Asia’s most prestigious exposition.
China is actively targeting the Southeast Asian market for military exports as part of a broader strategy to expand its regional influence, build dependencies, replace Russia as an arms supplier, and counterbalance the US presence in the wider Indo-Pacific.
One of the most significant Chinese participants in the Singapore Air Show is the J-10CE multi-role fighter jet.
In addition to the exhibited aircraft, the J-10C fighters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Bayi Aerobatic Team are making their flight-performance debut at the keenly watched air show.
China has been promoting the aircraft to potential buyers by leveraging its deployment in the May 2025 Indo-Pakistan combat, and amplifying Pakistan’s claims that the aircraft managed to down multiple Indian Rafales using PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles.
While India rejected these claims, the Chinese fighter jets, including the J-10C and JF-17, generated significant buzz. For instance, the Indonesian government signalled in October 2025 that it was assessing the J-10C and could acquire 42 jets.
China has showcased the J-10CE aircraft at various air shows, including the Dubai Air Show in October 2025.
Despite being the poster child of China’s indigenous combat aviation, the J-10C has seen very limited success. Pakistan, China’s closest ally, remains its only buyer. Although countries such as Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Colombia, and Iran have evaluated and negotiated deals with Beijing for the J-10C fighter jet, China is still seeking its second export customer.
As previously reported by the EurAsian Times, China has been promoting the J-10C as a better alternative to the US F-16 Fighting Falcon and the French Rafale, primarily by emphasizing its cost competitiveness.
Another major exhibit at the Singapore Air Show is China’s latest fifth-generation stealth fighter: the J-35A.
A scale model of the J-35A stealth fighter jet has reportedly taken the centre stage at the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) booth.
Unveiled at the China Air Show in Zhuhai in November 2024, the J-35A is the second fifth-generation stealth aircraft and also has a carrier variant.
The aircraft was developed based on the PLAAF’s input and experience with the J-20. According to Wang Ya’nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, the J-35A was built with performance, dependability, maintainability, and affordability all taken into account.
The aircraft, eerily similar in appearance to the US F-35, has yet to take off in the export market. Although previous reports suggested that Pakistan could buy 40 J-35A for its air force, the Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the claims in July 2025. There is currently no confirmation whether the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has ordered the jets.
China has also been promoting its fifth-generation aircraft in the Middle East, emphasizing faster delivery and fewer strings attached than US military hardware (such as the F-35), as EurAsian Times has reported over several months.
The third major fighter jet displayed at the airshow is the JF-17, a jointly produced aircraft by China and Pakistan. The aircraft’s model was seen in photos published by Chinese media and by military bloggers on social media.
The JF-17’s participation comes amid reports that Pakistan has received requests for its JF-17 fighters from five countries in recent months, including Iraq, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Libya.
Pakistan produces less than 20 JF-17s annually, nearly all of which are used by its own air force, Bloomberg reported on February 3, 2026, adding that it is unclear if Islamabad can increase capacity to satisfy the unexpected demand, which is crucial to advancing its goals of producing arms for developing nations and expanding Beijing’s clout in the arms trade.
However, Chinese experts quickly retorted that the questionable production capacity was a “sweet problem” that could be fixed with China’s support.
“If Pakistan does face capacity shortages, a likely solution could be Chinese assistance in expanding production. This could include increasing production speed or adding new assembly lines — measures that pose no major technical difficulties,” Wang told Global Times.
EurAsian Times earlier explained why it could be all hype and no business for JF-17, which is riding on a massive PR campaign.
Meanwhile, Chinese experts believe that the J-10CE and JF-17 fighter jets have strong market potential, particularly given their successful performance in May of last year. Additionally, the fourth-generation fighter jets, such as the J-10CE and JF-17, could simply satisfy the national security requirements of foreign users in nations that do not have an immediate need for fifth-generation jets.
Other aircraft, such as the L-15 advanced trainer jet, the Y-20 large transport aircraft, the Z-20 utility helicopter, and the Wing Loong series of drones, are also displayed at the air show.
L-15 Falcon has seen growing export interest as a cost-effective supersonic advanced jet trainer and light combat platform. It has been acquired by Zambia and the UAE. Meanwhile, reports from late 2024 and early 2025 indicated that the Royal Moroccan Air Force is seriously considering the L-15 to replace its aging Dassault Alpha Jets.
The Y-20, on the other hand, has been displayed at several air shows across the world to drum up support for exports. However, it is yet to find its first buyer.
The Y-20 E (export version), powered by four Shenyang WS-20 engines, has made China the third country, after Russia and the US, to design and develop its heavy military transport aircraft. It is officially called “Kunpeng” after a mythical Chinese bird and nicknamed “Chubby Girl” for its appearance.
Similarly, the Z-20 helicopter, China’s indigenous medium-lift utility helicopter for troop transport, logistics, search and rescue (SAR), assault, and specialized naval variants, has reportedly been marketed to international customers, but an order remains elusive.
In contrast, the Wing Loong series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a family of medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs, is one of China’s most successful military exports.
China has exported hundreds of Wing Loong drones (I and II variants combined) to countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Pakistan, Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria, to name a few. In fact, the Wing Loong series has been aggressively marketed at air shows, with export variants offering customizable sensors and weapons.
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