A Russian Su-57 fighter jet was seen arriving into a Chinese airport for the Airshow China 2024 starting next week.
"At about 2:20 pm, a Su-57 landed in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi Province, signifying its first-ever visit to China, CCTV reported on Sunday, as a part of the coverage for Airshow China 2024, to be held from November 12 to 17 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province."
Images and videos posted on X shows the Russian stealth aircraft coming into land at the airport. However there was no confirmation from the Chinese or Russian side as to the arrival of the aircraft.
The Su-57 has so far only been exhibited at Russian arms shows- this will probably be its first international airshow outing.
While China itself may not be a market for the Su-57, which has its stealth jet, the J-20, Russia may hope to catch the eye of the good number of delegates from Asia, Africa, South America and Middle East that are expected to come for the show.
The Su-57’s use the Ukrainian conflict makes it battle-worthy in the face of Western supplied radars and electronic warfare systems - something the Chinese jet is jet to accomplish.
Russia has set up an assembly line for the Su-57 which its makers is to execute an order of 76 aircraft for the Russian Aerospace Forces. Russia may well be trying to tap the export market alongside the domestic order.
Russia has in the past held talks with China on the joint development of weapons and platforms. The two countries have become closer still since the Urkaine war.