New technology may put an end to such imports in the future

The Chinese military has confirmed that it received four Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets in late December, but noted that the Su-35 might be the last combat plane China would import thanks to its own defense advances.

The People's Liberation Army's website, 81.cn, recently said that with the commissioning of the J-20, China's domestically developed stealth fighter, Russia understood that the Su-35 "will lose its value on the Chinese market in the near future", so was eager to complete the Su-35 deal. The Su-35 is Russia's most advanced fighter jet in use.