The Chinese website sohu.com quoted a high military official linked to the Chinese aviation industry as saying: “The Sudanese Air Force is in contact with the Chinese aviation industry to procure a batch of J-10CE fighter jets from China.
The Sudanese military chose this fighter jet to intercept possible attacks by the FTC-2000G light fighter jets manufactured by the Guizhou aviation industry factory, which the Ethiopian army received last year.
According to the Chinese website, if a deal is struck with Sudan, it would be the second agreement after the first contract with Pakistani Air Forces, which purchased 36 jets as a first batch. They are expected to buy 80 aircraft.
Sudanese Army retired General Hassan Yahia cast doubts about the reliability of the story, which was reprinted in Sudanese media.
After Pakistan and Egypt, yet another nation is poised to align itself with Beijing’s growing military influence — Sudan is reportedly set to acquire the Chinese-made J-10CE “Vigorous Dragon” fighter jets, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, the J-10CE has long been on Sudan’s radar, with reports of its interest in the fourth-generation fighter jet first surfacing in 2022. As these warplanes begin to arrive, Sudan’s military ambitions—and its strategic ties with Beijing—are taking flight like never before.
The Sudanese Air Force, since the sixties of last century, is equipped with Soviet or Russian weapons, including transport aircraft (Antonov, Yushin L-76), fighter aircraft (MiG-29) and helicopters (Mi-24 and Mi-8). But it also bought Chinese aircraft such as the Chengdu J-7, Hongdu JL-8, and Nanchang Q-5.
On August 3, Sudan’s foreign ministry supported China’s claims to Taiwan, reiterating that Khartoum supports the principle of one China, considering Taiwan an inalienable part of it.
Border disputes
Borderland disputes and conflict are not new to the two Horn of Africa countries. Ethiopia and Sudan have long competed for the control of land and agricultural production in these fertile areas. Cycles of cross-border violence have been shaped by each country’s internal political dynamics and the prevailing bilateral relations – as have intermittent periods of cooperation.
The border between Ethiopia and Sudan has been contested for more than a century. The roots of the dispute lie in the two countries’ disagreement over the border delineation process – particularly regarding the fertile Al Fashaga territory – that was part of the 1902 Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty. Known as the Gwynn Line (named after the British officer who had led the attempt to demarcate it), this border delineation continues to be rejected by Ethiopia, despite subsequent efforts to resolve it.
The dispute has shaped relations between both countries ever since and now intersects with other sources of strife in the area. Since late 2020, the 740-kilometre border has been marked by a series of overlapping internal and cross-border conflicts, bringing economic and social instability to both Ethiopian and Sudanese communities.
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