Foreign and Military Affairs

Air demo team set to fly overseas

By Cheng Guangjin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-14 08:07

Military attaches say encouraged by nation's efforts at more transparency

Beijing - China's air demonstration team plans to take part in events outside the country from next year, in a move that will help achieve better understanding with other militaries.

Chinese J-10 fighter jets fly over the Yangcun Air Force base of the People's Liberation Army Air Force in Tianjin, home of the 24th Fighter Division, southeast of Beijing on Tuesday. The base is home to the August 1st Aerobatic Team of the PLAAF, named after the founding of the PLA on August 1, 1927. [Agencies]

The Ministry of Defense had invited 51 military attaches of 47 countries to witness a 15-minute demonstration of China's domestically developed J-10 fighters on Tuesday in Tianjin. Four pilots from the August 1st Air Demonstration Team took part.

"This is the first activity for attaches and the media. We will organize more activities by the air force, navy and army," said the defense ministry spokesman Huang Xueping at a briefing after the demonstration.

Along with the attaches, 57 journalists from 37 media organizations attended the event.

Chairman of the attache club, Col. Emanuel Djakoure told China Daily that such activities help ease worries over risks in military cooperation.

"If I know you, there is no risk. This is confidence. And this kind of activity gave us confidence," he said.

Established in 1962, the air performance team has staged 284 demonstrations for foreign guests from 146 countries.

"The demonstration team plans to perform in large aviation shows and events at the invitation of foreign countries starting from next year," said Yan Feng, command pilot and commander of the air force division. "It'll be a good platform to make known China's air force to other countries, and exchange techniques with foreign colleagues," said Yan, who has 2,900 hours of flying experience behind him.

The attaches said they were impressed by the performance and encouraged by the military's efforts to bring more transparency. "You can see the change little by little every year," news agency AP quoted Engler-Sher Yossef, Israel's defense attache in Beijing.

China has established military relations with more than 150 countries, 102 of which have established attache offices in China, according to Huang.

The Ministry of Defense established an information system and opened its website in 2008. Since 1998, six white papers on China's defense have been published.

"All of these (efforts) aim to provide more opportunities for foreign countries to know more about the PLA (People's Liberation Army)," said the spokesperson. "If it is transparent, it's no more 'defense'. China is doing all it can," said Navy Captain Nsola J.P. from Cameroon.

CHINA DAILY