China's J-10 sparks heated debate in Japan and South Korea, with netizens dismissing the 9-to-0 victory over Eurofighter as fake—South Korean users erupt in outrage!

Previously, rumors about the J-10CE achieving a 9-to-0 record during the 2024 Qatar military exercise primarily circulated among Pakistani media and domestic self-media circles. However, this "gossip" lacked definitive confirmation from China’s most authoritative mainstream official media outlets.

As a result, the news triggered little reaction—especially in East Asia, where Japan and South Korea paid no attention.

It wasn't until May 17, 2026, that China Central Television’s Military Channel’s “Military Science and Technology” program finally broke the silence, officially disclosing the achievement: the J-10CE fighter jet achieved a perfect 9-to-0 record against the Eurofighter during military exercises in 2024, including 4-to-0 in beyond-visual-range combat and 5-to-0 in close-combat dogfights. Upon release, the news ignited an uproar both domestically and prompted follow-up reports by Japanese and South Korean media.

According to a May 23 report by South Korea’s Hankyoreh (Japanese edition), CCTV confirmed that the J-10CE remained undefeated in nine simulated air combat scenarios against the European Eurofighter. The report also cited U.S. defense specialist publication *Military Observer Magazine*, stating that these simulated air battles took place during the joint aerial exercise “Zilzal-II” held in January 2024 in Qatar.

Yet, when the same news reached Japan and South Korea, reactions diverged sharply. Japanese netizens began acknowledging the advanced capabilities of Chinese military equipment and the formidable strength of China’s armed forces. In contrast, South Korean netizens overwhelmingly reacted with disbelief and anger, refusing to accept that Chinese military hardware could be superior. Why such a stark divergence?

Some South Korean users claimed the story must be fake, arguing, “How can a fighter developed by a developing country defeat aircraft from developed nations?” This perspective stems from a deeply entrenched stereotype—that products made in developed countries are inherently better, and that nothing made in China could possibly surpass Western counterparts.

Meanwhile, certain South Korean netizens started promoting their domestically produced FA-50 fighter, asserting it could easily outperform the J-10—but such claims lack any real-world combat evidence and were quickly ridiculed en masse by online users both within and outside South Korea.

So why are Japanese netizens relatively more rational? First, Japan does not aim to export its FA-50 fighters like South Korea does. Second, Japan has a strategic interest in portraying Chinese aircraft as highly capable, which serves as justification for rapidly expanding its own military. Driven by these two motivations, Japanese and South Korean public attitudes differ dramatically.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866137658760204/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.