‘Who’s footing the bill?’: Chinese netizens slam ‘charity’ defense sale to arm Pakistan against India

In a move that has triggered disbelief and debate across Chinese social media, Beijing is reportedly fast-tracking the delivery of 30 J-35A stealth fighters to Pakistan — its first export of a fifth-generation jet. Scheduled to begin arriving by August 2025, the deal is reportedly being offered at a 50% discount, with Pakistani pilots already undergoing training in China.

The timing of this announcement, coming after the Pahalgam terror attack, has sparked intense scrutiny — not only over China’s production capacity but also over Pakistan’s ability to pay for such high-end aircraft while depending on IMF aid for basic survival. The move also an effort by China to arm Pakistan as a proxy against India and also test its weapons systems for global exports.

While Chinese state media remains tight-lipped, online reactions have been fierce. Citizens are openly questioning the rationale behind supplying the still-in-testing Shenyang J-35A — also called the FC-31 — to a country with a shaky financial record.

On X (formally Twitter), Chinese users voiced frustration. “Pakistan has also made a lot of fake news. How can it afford to buy it? It hasn’t even paid for the J-10,” wrote Yingyang Medical School (@Zhejiang), referencing Pakistan’s overdue payments for earlier acquisitions.

Experts have echoed these doubts. Some claim the J-35 deal is unlikely before 2030 due to Pakistan’s pending J-10C payments, which may take up to eight more years to clear.

Another user, CQL0530, questioned the production logic: “China’s own production of the J-35 has not yet been built up. How can it be given to them?”

The backlash didn’t end there. Angry Man 1957 (@Guangdong) called the move “Bullshit!” while — Clouds rise and fall — (@Sichuan) cryptically added, “I can’t afford it all,” alluding to China’s own fiscal priorities.

Cracked Rose (@Guangdong) hinted at ramped-up production with “2 more powerful printers are coming,” though context was unclear.

Pointedly, another Chinese user suggested Pakistan should prioritise industrial investment: “It is more in your interest to spend money on building and purchasing industrial equipment and infra.”

Despite these concerns, China seems to be pushing forward with its arms export narrative. Recent Pakistani claims — yet to be backed by evidence — that J-10CE fighters armed with PL-15 missiles downed multiple Indian Rafales during Operation Sindoor, have been seized upon by Beijing to market the jet as “combat-tested.”

Still, outside Pakistan, the J-10CE has found no buyers. China’s efforts to pitch it to Egypt, Brazil, Uzbekistan, and others have fallen flat. Engine dependencies on Russian designs like the Klimov RD-93 or Saturn AL-31 remain a sticking point.

The J-35, based on the FC-31 demonstrator first unveiled over a decade ago, represents China’s ambition to rival Western stealth jets like the US F-35. While it may eventually integrate advanced sensors and networked data links, its capabilities remain unverified. And unlike the F-35, which has seen over 900 deliveries globally, the J-35 has yet to even enter Chinese service.