China’s J-20 stealth fighter jet roams the South China Sea, what’s up?

BEIJING – A number of J-20 stealth fighter jets China roams over the disputed area in South China Sea and the East China Sea. This is Beijing’s most advanced fighter jet which is a competitor to the United States (US) F-35 stealth fighter.

Neither the government nor the military in Beijing have commented on the deployment of the fifth-generation stealth fighter jets in the disputed area.

However, state-owned media quoted military experts as citing the J-20’s deployment for routine patrols.

Early versions of the J-20 stealth fighter used Russian engines, but have since been replaced with domestically produced twin engines. The jet was first shown to the public with the new Chinese engine last year at Airshow China.

“The deployment is intended to better safeguard China’s airspace and maritime interests,” state media said Global Times.

Ren Yukun, a spokesman for the state-run J-20 manufacturer, added that the deployment was a “training routine” for the J-20 to start patrolling now that it is equipped with Chinese engines.

Read also: China prepares to upgrade J-20 engine to compete with US F-22 stealth fighter jet

The patrol of China’s most advanced fighter jets over the disputed area took place last Wednesday. It comes just weeks after General Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, said US F-35s and Chinese J-20s were in close proximity to each other in the East China Sea.

The East China Sea and South China Sea have long been contested territories, with overlapping territorial claims by many countries.

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