politics

China to raise defense spending by 7.1% to $229 billion

35 Comments

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35 Comments
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What is going on with the world? Have we not already learned the lessons of war as the answer to problems between old white rich men?

7 ( +13 / -6 )

The warmongering continues. The never ending story of our times.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

China is watching Ukraine and the Western response to the Russian invasion carefully. Their invasion of Taiwan is a matter of "if" but "when". After which the rest of the Asia Pacific is theirs for the taking. Continuously inceasing their military is to ensure that the rest of the world can't stop them.

9 ( +18 / -9 )

By contrast, the U.S. increased defense spending by about 2% this year to $768.2 billion.

Because that is totally necessary. Though I am sure a not insignificant portion of that is just wasted spending. China's increase looks like a drop in the bucket next to this.

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

Perhaps better relations between Japan - China - US, will provide better prospects for peace in Asia . . . .

2 ( +4 / -2 )

China to raise defense spending by 7.1% to $229 billion:

China's defense budget was around $180 bn a few years ago. Then it moved up to $200 bn, and now it is near $230 bn.

Likewise in US, the expenditure would reach a trillion dollars this year.

A covert arms race in motion..

1 ( +5 / -4 )

China is getting nervous. They were hoping to use Putin's campaign in Ukraine was a rallying cry to get the people behind a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and its continued genocide of the Uyghurs.

Putin is losing (Big Picture) and looking for a way out of the conflict without looking weak. China has greater reach globally but also more dependence. Sanctions on China similar to Russia would almost certainly lead to a collapse and coupe of Xi's regime.

Simply stop buying Chinese made goods or parts. Do not allow Chinese people visas. Freeze all overseas funds.

China would fold like origami!

6 ( +14 / -8 )

The Ukraine crisis has caused many Taiwanese to lose confidence in relying on the US to come to their aid in case of an invasion from mainland but not everyone. One panelist said the reason the US is not committing their troops for Ukraine is because they are saving them for Taiwan.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

A country doesn't increase military spending by close to 15% over two years without intentions of using it. Is China really afraid of being invaded? Doubtful.

Is China ramping up for future skirmishes OUTSIDE of China? Likely.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked conjecture that China might be more disposed to use force against Taiwan if it sensed a lack of resolution on the part of the U.S. and its allies.

It is only conjecture and quite a naive line of thinking. Both sides are more interested in building than bombing. Money and investments are the best tools for maintaining peace.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The US has a MUCH larger budget to begin with so there is not such a huge difference between China's 7% increase and the US's 2% in monetary terms.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

The US has a MUCH larger budget to begin with so there is not such a huge difference between China's 7% increase and the US's 2% in monetary terms.

US service members are also paid about 3 times more than Chinese, and private contractors are also paid US wages.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

It is only conjecture and quite a naive line of thinking. Both sides are more interested in building than bombing

Heard that for months about Russia. But they are doing what was unthinkable. China will too if it gets its way. To think otherwise is just being naive.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The US has a MUCH larger budget to begin with so there is not such a huge difference between China's 7% increase and the US's 2% in monetary terms.

And yet it is China with the worlds largest standing Army, largest Naval force and military ship building program, so they clearly get more actual value per dollar spent than the US does. That could be four or five to one.

Even bullets made in USA cost much more than those churned out in China. The balance is not as uneven as the budgets alone would have you believe.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Mere pennies compared to USA.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Imagine if china invested 229 billion towards their country? Maybe a majority of their population wouldn’t be living in poverty like they are now.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

China, only one-third the amount the USA spends on the military. China however, is building up its conventional forces and cyberwarfare. The USA, falsely considers the Pacific an America lake - and as with Obama, Biden is following the Pivot to Asia to 'contain' China militarily, which is doomed to failure.

The USA spends approximately 800 billion USD on the military. Russia spends approximately 60 billion USD. The Russian conventional forces vastly superior to USA conventional military.

The continual harping about China invading Taiwan, based on events in the Ukraine is patently absurd and dumb. China will simply integrate Taiwan into its sphere economically. A perfect example is Foxconn aka Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd, a Taiwanese conglomerate completely integrated within China, as are myriad international conglomerates. The Silk Road doesn't need or include an invasion of Taiwan. Nor is Taiwan joining NATO.

China has a GDP of almost 15 trillion USD. Russian GDP 1.5 trillion USD. No comparison in global importance.

China will dominate thru economics. Nor does it fit any geopolitical/realpolitik designs by China.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

нет войне! - Please stop this love of preparing for war.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A very moderate and reasonable increase of military budget by China, we should know America is stirring up troubles at the gate of China: South China sea, East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

America has spy satellites flying over China's space everyday, this is a also a threat. China is preparing to shoot them down with killer satellites. It was America keep harassing China from the beginning.

Did China declare war on other countries after the confiscation of opium? Who burned the imperial palace in Peking, 1860? Who rampaged Peking in,1900? Why nobody do something to help the Chinese during the rampage of the Nanking massacre, 1938?

China has long history of western/Japanese imperial power abusing China before 1949, payback time is due,the PRC is serious over "Debts"!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

In other words when Putin and Xi met, it was basically known by both men that the invasion would only start after the Olympics so that it would not push China global party to the back. Also that meeting was to basically confirm the support of one another in Russia's plans. What China and Russia didn't know was how the intentional community would respond. Yes Russia has oil but China has a strong hold on made in China items globally and they did not want that to effect their already stalled economy. China and Russia share borders they really don't trust each other and they watch each other. China backed Russia during the invasion and has since quieted because they are in shock themselves as they watched the war unfold. They realized that Russia's military was not all that it cracked up to be. First that had logistics problems, along with their airforce not being able to command the skies, along with not being able to "roll through Ukraine as they thought they could do. China was looking at this with total shock!! If I was China I would be thinking why do I need Russia they are weak. China and Russia saw the US go into Iraq control the skies and roll through the country. This is something China could not do even with their so called military might. I can see why all of a sudden China is thinking to strengthen their arm forces even more all of a sudden. They see Russia has been reduced to the 3rd military power behind China! China's thinking is if they want to take on the US they have no choice but to up their ante because Russia will be poor broke and lonely on the world stage for years and Putin will not be around. China is thinking if they are going to take Taiwan by force they are going to have to be a lot smarter and stronger because they can't rely on the Russian broken down military and leadership after Putin. China biggest worry now is the U.S. and its allies and how they can project their military power so that the CCP can survive..

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Money and investments are the best tools for maintaining peace.

It didn't stop Russia from invading Ukraine. Years ago I used to think like that, that trade and other forms of contact would reduce tensions. I have no such illusions. Start reading Xi Jinping's speeches. He is a Maoist true believer who has publicly stated that capitalism must eventually cease to exist. He is no Deng. People need to pay more attention to what he is saying at home to the home audience.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Basically the increase of China’s military spending is about the same as the US in dollar terms of $15 billion, am I right? But showing 7.1 percentage increase is more impressive and scarier to the readers. Remember that the US spends more than 3 times that of China’s and only has about 25% of China’s population.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Remember that the US spends more than 3 times that of China’s and only has about 25% of China’s population

China's wages are a fraction of those in the US and labor is the vast majority of the cost of designing, testing, producing and maintaining military hardware. Material is a very small proportion of the total cost. When you look at spending on anything in China and compare it to the west you have to remember their labor costs are much lower. That also means their tax base is similarly lower btw. Per capita income for all of China for 2021 was Yuan 17,642, or $2,791 USD at the current exchange rate. Shanghai has the highest per capita income in China at Yuan 40,357 or $6,384 USD.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The U.S.'s GDP was $20,893.75 trillion in 2021 while China's was $14,866.74 trillion. Of which the U.S. spent $778.2 billion on defense in 2020 (ratio to GDP: 3.7%) and China $252.3 billion (ratio to GDP: 1.8%).

There's a discrepancy in the figures between this article ($229 billion) and my source ($252.3 billion) but experts, according to the article, say China's budget omits much on weaponry.

It's noted that Japan didn't remove the predetermined 1 % ceiling relative to its GDP of its defense budget even at the peak of its economic development albeit being constantly urged by the U.S. to go beyond it. Surprisingly, though, Japan's defense spending stands at fifth in ranking among nations, amounting to $49.1 billion despite the war-renouncing constitution. The first in raking is, of course, the U.S.A. with a defense budget amounting to $778 billion, that is about three times as much as China's $252.3 billion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“China's wages are a fraction of those in the US and labor is the vast majority of the cost of designing, testing, producing and maintaining military hardware.”

It may be true a decade ago, but not now, China’s labor costs have been increasing substantially. Note also that China has to feed a lot more people in military. You also mentioned “per capita income” in China, which is not really comparable because of the difference in the cost of living, a dollar is worth more in China. Also, China has the most millionaires and billionaires in the world. I think the efficiency is the key which leads to the lower costs overall. Can the West build a functionable hospital in 10 days?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@flowers

What's interesting is that even with China's rising labor costs, many companies are unwilling to relocate to other areas, especially when it comes to electronic components and assembly.

China built a very complex and comprehensive supply chain network that makes it difficult for other developing countries to compete with.

On top of that, Many companies have a large consumer base in China, so manufacturing in China reduced transportation costs.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The USA, falsely considers the Pacific an America lake -

China falsely considers the South China sea to be a Chinese lake -

Why point your finger only at the US? China is becoming even worse than the US ever was.

Dont even talk about the murders going on at Russian hands right now.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What amazes me most about China is its rise, economically and otherwise, in such a short period of time, 44 years since it embarked on the reform and openness policy in 1978. In the early 1980s a student came to my table and said he was deeply worried about China's rise as an economic power. I laughed him off at the time. But he may have been right. 

China must beware that the world is looking at it somewhat with suspicious eyes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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