The J-20 is China's best combat plane and the world's third operational stealth fighter jet.

Lieutenant Colonel Feng Wei, commander of a Y-20 regiment, said at the news conference that an air force with strategic prowess must have abilities to carry out not only strategic strikes but also strategic power projection, a term used by the PLA Air Force that refers to long-range deployment of large numbers of troops and weapons.

"The Y-20 is the pillar to our strategic power projection capability," he said. "We have already conducted training over plateaus and open seas, and we are determined to extend our reach wherever our national interests are."

Captain Chen Siqi, a Y-20 pilot, added that the transport plane is a milestone in China's aviation industry because compared with all of its predecessors, the colossal aircraft is bigger, stronger, more intelligent and much easier to control.

The remarks followed a massive flight show in Changchun on Thursday morning. The show was part of the opening ceremony of a large, five-day open house hosted by the PLA Air Force at the Air Force Changchun Airport to mark the 70th anniversary of its founding.