As the partner country of the Russian MAKS 2019 International Aviation and Space Salon, China has set up a stand-alone hall with Chinese exhibitors preparing for the exhibition’s opening on Tuesday.Photo: Liu Xuanzun/GT

About 20 Chinese exhibitors set the stage Monday for the 2019 Russian International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) with exhibits including models of a laser weapon and a stealth target drone already in place.

For the first time, China is the partner country of the biannual MAKS event, which takes place in Zhukovsky, about 40 km from Moscow.

As the partner country, China has set up a stand-alone exhibition hall, with exhibitors preparing for the event's opening on Tuesday.

Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is exhibiting aircraft such as the AG600 large amphibious aircraft, JF-17 fighter jet, and Wing Loong drones.

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Cooperation is putting missiles and a laser weapon on display. The LW-30 laser defense weapon system could use a directional-emission high-energy laser to quickly intercept different kinds of aerial targets such as photoelectric guidance equipment, drones, guided bombs, and mortars.

At the Xi'an-based Northwestern Polytechnical University booth, the LJ-1 is on display. It is a tactical target featuring sustained-G, long endurance, stealth and recoverability, and is capable of simulating third and fourth generation fighter jets and depending on another commonly used classification, fifth generation fighter jets, according to introductory material available at MAKS.

Other Chinese exhibitors brought items including space rockets, aero engines, and passenger aircraft. More exhibits will be unveiled after the show kicks off on Tuesday.

Another big attraction at the 2019 MAKS is the first-ever static display of Russia's most advanced fighter jet, the Su-57. While the real aircraft has seemingly not arrived at the exhibition complex as of Monday, a model of the export version of the Su-57, the Su-57E, is on display for the first time.

The specifications of the E version are not detailed yet, but are expected to be revealed as event officially starts.

Foreign media have reported that Russia has offered China the Su-57E, but there is no report of a Chinese response yet.