A military parade is held to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) at Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 30, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)
HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - China is expected to reveal a robust increase in defence spending at the March 5 annual opening of parliament, as its economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic and military tensions rise, Chinese and Western security experts said.
With the coronavirus hammering its economy, China last year announced a 6.6 per cent boost in defence spending to $178 billion, the lowest rate of increase in three decades.
The new administration of President Joe Biden has moved quickly to remind Beijing that the United States intends to compete with China’s growing influence and military strength in the Asia-Pacific. In recent weeks, powerful U.S. warship fleets have sailed near Chinese-claimed Taiwan and through disputed territory in the South China Sea, to Beijing’s anger.
“China is facing the most severe security situation since the Korean War,” said Ni Lexiong, a retired professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.
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WNU Editor: The official announcement on how much China's defense budget will increase this year will be made on March 5.
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