On 9 May 2025, a Reuters report claimed that at least one Indian Air Force Rafale combat aircraft was shot down by a Pakistani pilot flying an export variant of the Chinese J-10 fighter.1 The defeat of a leading Western combat aircraft by a People’s Republic of China (PRC) indigenously-produced fighter has garnered significant attention globally from both military analysts and governments, with implications ranging from potential arms sales to the viability of PRC military equipment in a future conflict. This article examines initial reactions to the incident from official PRC state media and influential commenters.
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