There are a lot of legends behind why China didn't buy the MiG-29.
One has to do with an airshow crash. Another lies in Chinese officials hearing the MiG-29s got their asses kicked in Ethiopia by Su-27s.
For what it's worth, China was actually after the MiG-31s. After TAM, after the Gulf War, after hearing all what the ROC was procuring, the PRC needed to make a statement.
But the MiG-31s was refused by Russia as being too politically sensitive. It was said that the PLAAF was indeed interested on the MiG-29---the PLAAF only knows MiG designs historically from the MiG-9 all the way up, and the PLAAF has never in its entire history, had a Sukhoi aircraft.
Accordnig to a post by Rick Kamer, it was Li Peng's intervention that got the PLAAF Su-27s instead. I had an impression that the PLAAF was dragged screaming and kicking into this. Suffice to say, history was written then.
As for the J-8II Peace Pearl upgrade, even without TAM happening, the project would have been skunked anyway the moment Grumman would hand the bill to the Chinese.
One has to do with an airshow crash. Another lies in Chinese officials hearing the MiG-29s got their asses kicked in Ethiopia by Su-27s.
For what it's worth, China was actually after the MiG-31s. After TAM, after the Gulf War, after hearing all what the ROC was procuring, the PRC needed to make a statement.
But the MiG-31s was refused by Russia as being too politically sensitive. It was said that the PLAAF was indeed interested on the MiG-29---the PLAAF only knows MiG designs historically from the MiG-9 all the way up, and the PLAAF has never in its entire history, had a Sukhoi aircraft.
Accordnig to a post by Rick Kamer, it was Li Peng's intervention that got the PLAAF Su-27s instead. I had an impression that the PLAAF was dragged screaming and kicking into this. Suffice to say, history was written then.
As for the J-8II Peace Pearl upgrade, even without TAM happening, the project would have been skunked anyway the moment Grumman would hand the bill to the Chinese.