Beijing, 6 March 2023 (GNP): The rise in defense spending of China this year represents the seventh consecutive year of single-digit growth. Like in prior years, just the overall spending amount and the percentage of increase were provided.
The world’s second-largest economy is experiencing domestic headwinds, and the expenditure increase exceeds the anticipated economic growth of about 5%, which is somewhat below the objective for last year.
Beijing is concerned about various challenges, including the situation regarding Taiwan, as well as U.S. naval and air activities in the disputed South China Sea, which is near islands that China occupies.
In response to Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August of last year, China held military drills close to Taiwan.
According to Li Mingjiang, an associate professor at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, the fact that China’s defence spending is outpacing its expected economic growth indicates that China expects to face greater pressures from its external security environment, particularly from the United States and with regard to the Taiwan issue.
“Chinese leaders are clearly intensifying efforts to prepare the country militarily to meet all potential security challenges, including unexpected situations,” he said.
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With the largest military in terms of troops, China is now acquiring a large number of modern equipment, such as aircraft carriers and stealth jets.
Beijing claims that its detractors attempt to vilify it as a threat to global peace despite the fact that its military spending for defensive purposes is a relatively modest fraction of its GDP.
Premier Li stated that the armed services should increase their military training and preparedness in all areas, create new strategic guidance, dedicate more resources to practising realistic combat scenarios, and coordinate their efforts to enhance military operations in all domains.
According to Takashi Kawakami, a professor at Takushoku University in Tokyo, China’s nuclear capability is likely to be prioritised.
He stated, “With China focusing on cognitive warfare in Taiwan, it is probable that China will allocate its budget to enhance its cyber and space capabilities, as well as its submarine forces that can target undersea cables.”
Although many foreign experts and diplomats believe that Beijing under-reports the real number, China’s reported defence budget for 2023 is about one-quarter of the proposed U.S. spending.
The U.S. defence budget for the fiscal year 2023 has authorized $858 billion for military spending, which covers the procurement of weapons, ships, and aircraft, as well as support for Taiwan and Ukraine during its ongoing conflict with Russia.
China has maintained that it must narrow the gap with the United States, as it currently possesses only three active aircraft carriers in comparison to the 11 operated by the United States.
Following the conflict in Ukraine, certain factions within China’s military-industrial complex have advocated for a rise in the defence budget. An article published in the official journal of the State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense, which oversees wartime logistics, proposed an increase in military spending due to spikes in defence expenditures by NATO member states other than the United States in October of last year.
“This matter is not about participating in the international arms race, but defending our national security,” it said.
