China Weighs J-35 Stealth Jet Sale to Pakistan Amid US F-16 Ties

A Pakistani government social media post in June of last year listed a Chinese offer of 40 J-35 stealth fighters alongside KJ-500 early-warning aircraft and HQ-19 air defences; the post was removed shortly afterward. This May, the Pakistan Air Force stated it had signed an "initial collaborative agreement" to purchase the J-35, without disclosing further terms. Pakistan is simultaneously pursuing an upgrade deal for its US F-16 fleet, raising the question of whether Beijing will accept the risk of exposing its stealth technology to US monitors. The SCMP opinion piece frames the potential sale around that tension, weighing China's interest in exporting the J-35 against the exposure that closer Pakistani-US defence cooperation could create.