The 11th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China 2016, opened at the Zhuhai Airshow Center on Nov 1 to much hoopla, including the unveiling of J-20 stealth fighter jets, greetings from the space lab, contract signings, and official ceremonies. 

Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission; Hu Chunhua, Guangdong Provincial CPC Committee secretary; Li Changchun, former Politburo Standing Committee member; along with Tea Banh, Cambodian deputy prime minister and minister for National Defense; and Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, were at the opening ceremony.

Guangdong Gov Zhu Xiaodan; deputy commander of the PLAAF, Zhang Jianping; and Zhuhai Party Chief Guo Yuanqiang delivered speeches, whereas Vice Gov Yuan Baocheng presided over the ceremony.

When the air show was announced to be open, Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, who are carrying out China’s Shenzhou-11 mission in the Tiangong-2 space lab, delivered congratulations through a pre-recorded video from outer space. 

Guangdong Gov Zhu Xiaodan (center) visits exhibition hall with senior officials.

“Knowing the 11th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition is opening, I hereby express my warm congratulations to the Airshow Organizing Committee from the Tiangong-II space lab,” Jing said.

Meanwhile, Chen delivered best wishes for all his counterparts, hoping they fulfill the flying tasks. He also sent greetings to the 20th birthday of Airshow China.

Yang Liwei, China’s first space traveler; Shenzhou 7 astronaut Liu Boming, and China’s first female astronaut Liu Yang showed up at the Airshow Center, garnering generous applause from the audience.

Two long-anticipated J-20 stealth fighters made a public debut late in the morning. Two of the radar-evading jets did a 60-second flyby over the aforementioned dignitaries, hoards of spectators, and numerous industry representatives.

J-20 makes public debut.

The fifth-generation warplane, which outwardly resembles the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor in service with the US military, performed a series of maneuvers under overcast skies.

Also on opening day, aircraft purchase agreements valued at around 163 billion yuan ($24.1 billion) were inked at a signing ceremony. 

China Aerospace Leasing signed a purchase agreement with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC) for 40 ARJ21-700s at the signing ceremony. The deal, including a confirmed order of 20 ARJ21-700s and an option for 20 more, brings the global orders for the regional jet to 413 from 19 customers, COMAC said. 

Meanwhile, Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines signed a Launch Customer Agreement (LCA) with COMAC under which the two parties will start negotiations to firm up the purchase of five 168-seat C919 passenger jets within a year of the first test flight.

Signing ceremony [Photos by Li Jianshu, Zhong Fan / Zhuhai Daily]

Besides, COMAC also obtained 36 C919 orders from Citic Financial Leasing and 20 from SPDB Financial Leasing, according to a statement.