Stealth fighter moves out of the shadows

China officially unveiled its ambitious stealth aircraft project on Monday by showing a fifth-generation fighter jet at the country's largest defense exhibition, a move observers say is intended to attract foreign buyers.

"The J-31 Gyrfalcon is able to compete with any other aircraft of its kind, "Li Yuhai, deputy general manager of the Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country's leading plane maker, said at a news conference in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

"Since the very beginning of its development, we have intended to use the plane to end some foreign nations' monopoly on fifth-generation fighter jets, and one of its variants will be specifically designed for export," Li told reporters. "It will be our trump card to tap the international market at the air show."