A Y-20 large transport aricraft from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force on Wednesday made its debut at the 2024 Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (AAD-2024) at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa.
This marked the first time the Y-20 has flown to South Africa, with plans for both static and dynamic displays during the event.
Running until Sunday, the 12th edition of the AAD features cutting-edge innovations in aviation, aerospace, and defense.
Segomotso Tire, chairperson of the AAD Executive Committee, emphasized that the exhibition offers a key platform for industry players to present their technological breakthroughs and engage in meaningful dialogue.
The Y-20 transport plane, invited to participate in the airshow, is on static display from Wednesday to Friday, followed by dynamic demonstrations over the weekend.
"This participation in AAD-2024 is the first time that our Y-20 team has flown to South Africa. In the process of preparing for this air show, we had carefully designed the flight procedures in combination with the flight environment and the position of the viewing platform at Waterkloof Air Force Base, and striven to achieve precision and perfection in every move. We aim to fully demonstrate the excellent tactical maneuvering performance of the Y-20 transport aircraft, and showcase China's advanced aviation weapons and equipment, as well as the fine image of the Chinese soldiers," said Liang Yao, captain of the PLA Air Force's Y-20.
In the static display area, the Y-20 stands proudly alongside dozens of fighter planes from various countries, with its red star-adorned tail catching the eye of many spectators. Members of the Chinese community in South Africa, upon learning of the Y-20's arrival, gathered at the air show venue to take commemorative photos with the national asset and the Chinese national flag.
During the air show, the Y-20 is expected to share the skies with multinational flight demonstration teams, showcasing its impressive aerial capabilities through a variety of stunts and maneuvers.
Alongside the Chinese presence, the AAD-2024 also featured participants from Botswana, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, India, Russia, Armenia, and Albania, highlighting the latest advances in technology, goods and services from the international defense industry.
China's Y-20 large transport aircraft debuts at Africa's largest airshow
U.S. tariffs on Cambodia, which were set at 49 percent, have sparked concerns among the Southeast Asian country's key export industries such as garment manufacturing amid the ensuing economic uncertainties.
On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the 49 percent "reciprocal tariff" on goods imported from Cambodia, the highest among all countries. Days later, the U.S. reduced the so-called "reciprocal tariff" to 10 percent for 90 days, offering a window period to Cambodia for negotiations with it.
Cambodian businesspeople say the tariffs have the potential to wreak havoc on the country's manufacturing sector, which, according to data from the World Bank, makes up around a fifth of the country's GDP.
"For U.S. manufacturers, definitely, there will be a big impact. If manufacturers are focusing on U.S. products, they are now in the middle. They don't know what they should do at the moment because the tariff now from Cambodia to the U.S. is actually quite high," said Dr. Ben Li, a Hong Kong investor in Cambodia and Chairman of the Cambodia Chinese Commerce Association.
Nevertheless, Li sees the tariff hike as an opportunity to export more Cambodian goods to the European Union, where a majority of Cambodian exports enjoy duty-free status.
"I always say there will be a light (at the end of the tunnel.) Even now, the U.S. tariff is so high, it's going to be so high after 90 days, we don't know. But, there's still a big market to Japan or to the European Union. There's still a big opportunity there," he said.
The Cambodian investor also believes the development of major infrastructure projects will help support Cambodia's economy.
"Especially the new canal and then the new airport, and the railways which connect to China. I believe once the logistics and infrastructure are built up, it can help the whole country's economy. By reducing the transportation costs, it can also mitigate the tariff costs," he said.
Cambodia and the U.S. held their first tariff negotiations on April 16, with more expected to follow. Local experts said the stakes are high for the country's workers.
"If this negotiation fails, there will be a significant impact. It will include the garment and travel goods sector. These sectors consist of about 1,068 factories and 930,000 workers. The income generated from these sectors is about 3 billion dollars per year. So it would significantly impact Cambodia's economy, jobs and incomes," said Chey Tech, a socio-economic research and development consultant from Dynamic Alliance Consulting.
Despite the potential risks, Tech expressed his optimism about a positive outcome, citing Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manat's letter to Trump on April 4.
"The Prime Minister's letter confirmed that Cambodia would reduce the tariff rate for U.S. goods to 5 percent. Second, Cambodia is the least developed country. Third, Cambodia produces goods that the developed countries won't produce. We asked whether the U.S. would be able to produce these low-cost products. It cannot," said Tech.
In 2024, Cambodia exported goods of 9.9 billion dollars to the U.S., making it the country's largest market, accounting for 37 percent of Cambodia's total exports.
49-percent US tariffs sparks worry among Cambodia's key export industries
