Chinese military aviation does seem to be rushing forward at a great rate of knots. True, it is maybe riding on the backs of others, snapping up the leftovers, but it is sucking up knowledge and learning as it goes. I think it would be wise to keep an eye on their development. Their economy is surging ahead (OK it has slowed to about 7% growth recently, but who in the West are in a position to scoff at that?) so while its R&D grows many others, such as ours, does not. If China continues to accelerate while others brake, our head-start will start to shrink more rapidly than we might like to believe. They have cash and manpower to throw at their problems.
What are their long-term objectives and strategies? Well, probably have their eyes on the top-dog spot. Will they form a cohesive effective force? A question to which I have no answer. Will all their aviation attempts prove winners - very unlikely. Will they all crash and burn? Probably not. Are they in the same technical league as the West? No, but how about 10 years from now? Maybe not. 20 years from now? ??.
Keep watching. The future is often closer than you think.
LF