The J-10 that was not long ago also touted as being as good as or better than the F-16.
Seems everything new is better than the F-16, so long as you mean early blocs but don’t mention that’s what you mean.
I actually think the J-10 might be able to hold its own against maybe the Block 50 version, but probably not the ones the UAE got recently.
The Chicoms got some U.S. help in the 80s and I’m somewhat confident that the Izzies and maybe the Frogs have been willing to give them some help, so I don’t think (contrary to what many here seem to believe) that the design is totally hapless. It ain’t gonna be able to take on a F-15 in a straight fight, but then again, that’s not really its intended purpose.