Chinese Prime Minister said the country will boost defense expenditure by 7.2 percent in 2023.
Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) should increase combat preparedness and enhance its capabilities, revealing Beijing’s nervous anticipation of potential conflicts over Taiwan and South China Sea islands.
“Our armed forces, with a focus on the goals for the centenary of the People’s Liberation Army in 2027, should work to carry out military operations, boost combat preparedness and enhance military capabilities,” Li said in an address to the legislature.
The premier also said China will boost defense expenditure by 7.2 percent in 2023. China’s outlay for the military for the current year is set at a whopping $224 billion (1.55 trillion yuan).
China already has the world’s largest military, in terms of personnel strength. PLA has seen a high degree of modernization in the last decade under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. Beijing is intent on adding highly sophisticated new hardware including stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and hypersonic missiles.
