GUANGZHOU Two unfamiliar looking jet fighters roared across the clear blue sky over Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, shortly after 10 a.m. on Nov. 1, performed a crisscross maneuver and disappeared into the distance. The display was met with a rousing burst of applause from the assembled government leaders, air force officers and other assorted functionaries.
Despite the flight lasting barely three minutes, the cheers were understandable as it marked the debut of the Chengdu J-20. China has raced to develop its next-generation stealth fighter in a bid to rival the Lockheed Martin F-22 of the U.S.
