Home GRASP GRASP/China China's president Xi increases military budget ahead of ruler-for-life vote

China's president Xi increases military budget ahead of ruler-for-life vote

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China is to increase military spending by 8.1 percent this year as the world’s biggest army expands its global reach and continues to modernise. Beijing’s defence budget is the largest in three years and comes as the Asian giant becomes increasingly assertive under president Xi Jinping. The
China is to increase military spending by 8.1 percent this year as the world’s biggest army expands its global reach and continues to modernise.
Beijing’s defence budget is the largest in three years and comes as the Asian giant becomes increasingly assertive under president Xi Jinping.
The Chinese leader is set to clear the way for him to rule for life at the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp parliament, which meets this week.
The increase of China’s defence budget to 1.1 trillion yuan (£125 billion) was announced on the opening day of the political gathering on Monday.
It compares with a seven percent increase last year and 7.6 percent in 2016, which marked the first time in six years that spending growth had not risen into double figures.
Li Keqiang, the prime minister, told NPC delegates: “We will stick to the Chinese path in strengthening our armed forces, advance all aspects of military training and war preparedness.”
China has cut 300,000 troops from its forces, leaving it with an army of around two million solders.
But the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is undergoing a rapid modernisation drive.

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