The J-10, China's domestically made third-generation jet fighter, has not been exported due to the lack of license issued by Chinese authorities, Ma Zhiping, vice president of the State-owned China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation, said Wednesday.

In a response to overseas media reports and public speculation that the J-10 has been exported to Pakistan, Ma was quoted by the news portal huanqiu.com as saying that he can state that not a single J-10 has been shipped to Pakistan.

"Obtaining a national permit in advance of exporting it is top priority," Ma said on the sidelines of the ongoing 15th Aviation Expo/China 2013 in Beijing.

The country, which launched a research program for a new generation jet fighter in 1984, saw the aircraft's first trial 14 years later. The jet officially came into service in 2006.

"We can anticipate good export prospects, as many potential customers have shown great interest in it and have made enquiries on the price. Many Asian, African and Latin American countries, which include users of Chinese, ex-Soviet and French fighters, form a huge clientele," said Ma.

The chances are that the export will be permitted and it will surely be meaningful in opening a new chapter of exporting China's military equipment, Xu Zelong, a deputy director of the newspaper China Aviation News, told the Global Times.

Export would improve China's market competitiveness in the international arms trade as other countries, such the US and Russia, are eagerly promoting their third-generation jets - the F-15, F16, Su-27 and Su-30 - worldwide, while China's customers, in contrast, are still using the second-generation J-7 or J-8, said Song Zhongping, a military critic.

"Since China now has the more advanced J-11 and J-11B, and is developing the fourth-generation J-20 and J-31, we should be more confident that exporting our technology won't lead to any leaks," noted Song, adding that it would also be efficient to test the maturity of technology and products through export.