Beijing increases its military budget to respond to complex security challenges

WORLD, March. 04 (YPA) – Chine’s spokesman of parliament said on Saturday that his country’s defense spending as a share of gross domestic product has been kept basically stable for many years, with the increases “moderate” and “reasonable”.

“The modernization of China’s military will not pose a threat to any country,” Wang Chao, spokesman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters.

Wang was asked at a news conference by how much China’s defense budget would increase this year, and whether any increase would be larger than in previous years.

He declined to give any figures for this year’s defense budget.

The spending figure will be officially unveiled in the national budget to be released on Sunday at the start of this year’s annual meeting of parliament.

E.M