BEIJING -- China may well have tested Russian AA-12 missiles, but these have long been expected as part of a package of Su-30 fighter jets and are unlikely to accelerate an arms race with Taiwan, defense analysts said Thursday. While they would enhance China's dogfighting ability, Taiwan would maintain air superiority for the next few years as it already had indigenous and French air-to-air missiles and more than twice as many modern fighters as the mainland.
It is interesting what a difference eight years can make. There was a time Taiwan had air-superiority against China. Just 8 years ago.