Key Points – China is using the 2025 Paris Air Show to debut its J-35A stealth fighter on the international stage, strategically targeting American allies like Saudi Arabia who are frustrated with US arms sales restrictions.
-With Riyadh locked out of the F-35 program due to Washington’s security concerns and commitment to Israel’s military edge, Beijing is offering its fifth-generation jet as a viable alternative with fewer political strings attached.
-While analysts doubt China wants to become a primary security guarantor, the J-35’s availability represents a diplomatic and industrial challenge to US influence, appealing to nations seeking greater strategic autonomy.
China’s J-35A Targets Saudi Frustration with US Arms Deals at Paris Air Show
At the 55th Paris Air Show, China debuted a scale model of its J-35A stealth fighter jet — a fifth-generation warplane that looks suspiciously like the US F-35.
But beyond its aesthetic resemblance, the J-35A represents something more strategic: Beijing’s calculated bid to woo disillusioned American allies with an alternative arsenal, with far fewer strings attached.
Chinese State Media Showcases Progress
Produced by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and showcased by China’s state-run CATIC, the J-35A is designed for carrier operations and marketed as a cheaper, more accessible counterpart to America’s export-restricted F-35 and J-20 jets.
Its first international appearance follows reports that China has offered 40 of the aircraft to Pakistan — a significant step toward breaking into the lucrative fifth-gen export market.
But China is not just looking east. With tensions mounting between Riyadh and Washington over weapons access, the Gulf’s largest power may be an ideal candidate for Beijing’s arms diplomacy. Saudi Arabia remains locked out of the F-35 program.
This decision was rooted in Washington’s obligation to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME), concerns over classified software security, and broader unease about Saudi geopolitical alignment.
Saudis Ponder Using Chinese Hardware
That hasn’t stopped Riyadh from diversifying its defense relationships. While the kingdom has joined the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), that sixth-generation platform won’t be operational until at least 2035.
The J-35, by contrast, is ready now. Saudi Arabia has already proven willing to acquire Chinese-made drones and missile systems, despite their current limitations.
China’s bet is that military utility is only part of the equation. For countries like Saudi Arabia, sovereignty over purchased systems, including the ability to operate and upgrade them independently, is a growing priority. The US, by contrast, retains tight control over the F-35’s software, effectively keeping users reliant on American support and permission.
China Says: No Strings Attached
That dependency has policy consequences. As analysts Elizabeth Dent and Grant Rumley note, the US used its leverage in 2021 to suspend offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia over its actions in Yemen. Riyadh was forced to comply with humanitarian conditions in exchange for resuming access, a precedent unlikely to be forgotten by Saudi decision-makers.
Beijing is offering something different: no lectures, no red lines — just hardware. Yet analysts caution against overreading China’s ambitions. As Fuad Shahbazov writes, Beijing has little appetite for becoming Riyadh’s primary security guarantor, particularly given its parallel relationship with Iran.
The J-35A may look sleek, but its appeal is more diplomatic than strategic.
Still, as Oliver John warns, Gulf regimes remain haunted by perceived US retreat, from the Arab Spring to Trump’s muted response to Iranian attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.
With America increasingly focused on Asia, and Europe plagued by inertia, China’s J-35 may serve less as a threat to US dominance and more as a symbol of a shifting global order.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
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