Airshow China 2024 opens to public, drawing thousands of aviation fans

Crowds gathered before dawn in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Friday as the country's largest air show opened its doors to the public, offering rare glimpses of China's latest military and space achievements.

The 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, is running from Tuesday to Sunday.

The three-day public viewing session is expected to draw 115,000 visitors on its first day alone, with organizers implementing crowd control measures at several pavilions due to overwhelming interest.

China unveiled its domestically-developed new-generation stealth fighter jets J-20s and J-35A at this year's show, becoming a country with two types of active stealth warcraft.

Some veteran army fans carrying lenses of different sizes said that they are proud to witness the gathering of various advanced aircraft and remarkable progress of China's military equipment development.

"I want to see the cutting-edge fighter jets of our country's aviation industry, and our advanced air defense. As an army fan, I am looking forward to our country's high-tech aviation products and military products. I feel very excited, and very proud of the development of our country's military equipment," said a visitor.

Among the most sought-after exhibits is a sample of lunar soil from the far side of the moon - a world's first - brought back by China's Chang'e-6 mission. "I arrived last night, and today is my first day at the airshow. It is the lunar soil from the far side of the moon brought back by Chang'e-6. It is the world's first lunar soil collected from the far side of the moon, and it was collected by China. Because I am a little space fan, I am very interested in this kind of knowledge about China's space program," said a young visitor.

Covering more than 800,000 square meters, this year's show has attracted 1,022 companies from 47 countries and regions. A new dedicated area for unmanned systems showcases the growing importance of drone technology in both civilian and military applications.

The show's aerial demonstrations have drawn particular attention, featuring formation flights by some of China's most advanced military aircraft. The J-20 stealth fighter, J-35A carrier-based fighter, and YU-20 tanker aircraft took to the skies, alongside displays from the People's Liberation Army Air Force's aerobatic team.

On the ground, visitors queued to see Y-20 transport aircraft and the HQ-19 anti-ballistic missile system, with timed entry slots implemented for crowd management.

The exhibition, which will run through Sunday, comes as China continues to emphasize its technological self-sufficiency amid growing international tensions and trade restrictions in critical tech sectors.

Airshow China 2024 opens to public, drawing thousands of aviation fans

U.S. stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, staging a late-session recovery as investors navigated a volatile landscape marked by a criminal probe into the Federal Reserve leadership.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 86.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to 49,590.2. The S&P 500 added 10.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,977.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 62.56 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,733.9. Despite the positive close, the market experienced significant intraday turbulence, with the Dow dropping nearly 500 points at its session lows.

Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in positive territory. Consumer staples and industrials led the gainers, rising 1.42 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Financials and energy were the primary laggards, declining 0.8 percent and 0.66 percent.

Market sentiment was initially shaken by an announcement on Sunday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed that federal prosecutors are investigating him over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters. Powell characterized the probe as an attempt by the Trump administration to compromise the Fed's independence.

Further weighing on the financial sector was a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year, which triggered a sell-off in banking stocks amid concerns over restricted lending and reduced profitability. Capital One shares plummeted 6.42 percent, while Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America also recorded losses.

In contrast, retail giant Walmart led the Dow's advance, climbing 3 percent following news of its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance the digital shopping experience.

Investors are awaiting Tuesday's release of the U.S. consumer price index for December 2025. Following last week's cooling labor market data, market participants increasingly expect the Fed to maintain interest rates at their current levels during the upcoming January meeting.

U.S. stocks close higher amid criminal probe into Fed chair Powell