Fighter jets with stealth technology soared over the sky. They were previously cloaked in mystery, but are now on display for all to see.
When the first J-20 aircraft rumbled across the sky, the audience reacted with audible gasps and a mad dash for photos.
Four state-of-the-art stealth fighter jets flew in perfect synchrony, their engines producing a roar.
It was a display intended to attract notice. These previously secret jets are now on show for the Chinese public and the rest of the globe.
This week, Zhuhai in southern China hosted China’s National Airshow. They were arguably the main attraction.
The event is a celebration of all aspects of aviation, from the most fundamental to the most combat-ready.
In addition to industrial exhibitors, there was a presentation by China’s aerobatics team, displays of high-tech drones, and a flyover by the nation’s first domestic passenger jet.
It was a highly militarised occurrence that occurred at a time when the world’s concern about what this military could do is growing.
Yue Gang, a former colonel who served more than 20 years in the Chinese military, was among the masses.
He summed up the sentiments of those present: pride in the military’s evolution and confidence in its potential.
China is proving to the world that it is an extremely powerful nation,” he remarked.
“It means that we can defend not just our national territory, but also our national interests outside the country, as China’s national interests are increasing abroad.”
Many are concerned that China may attempt to seize control of Taiwan, the self-governing island it considers its own. This has long been a goal of President Xi.
This week, Greg Hands, the UK’s trade minister, and the first British minister to visit Taiwan since the pandemic will visit Taiwan.
While he emphasized that the negotiations were about trade, China views as highly provocative any foreign visits that hint at Taiwanese autonomy.
It appears to have elicited a response.
China dispatched more fighter jets to Taiwan on Tuesday than at any other time since the summer: 31 aircraft crossed the “median line” – the unofficial maritime border.
Tensions are at their highest level in some time.
In Zhuhai, the family of jets utilized for these missions was on exhibit. It is uncommon to see them so close. Permission to do so was possibly a message in and of itself.
Uncertainty exists as to whether China would ever conduct such an invasion, but this exhibition provided numerous indications of military preparedness, from the latest amphibious vehicles to a simulation of an invasion of an unnamed mountainous island.
The message China wished to convey was crystal clear: its military has been modernized and altered to the point where it can wage an international war if necessary.
