China to increase defense budget by 7.2% in 2025

The Straits Times reported on March 5 that China will increase its defense budget by 7.2% in 2025, continuing the single-digit annual increase over the past decade.

China's defense budget will be 1,784 billion yuan (245.7 billion USD), announced at the opening session of the 3rd Session of the 14th National People's Congress ( NPC ) at the Great Hall of the People today, March 5.

China has mostly announced annual defense budget increases of about 7% since 2016. It has the world's second-highest defense budget, although it still spends much less than the United States.

Last year, China also increased its defense budget by 7.2%. China's defense budget will see a similar increase in 2023 at 7.2%, while the budget will increase by 7.1% in 2022, 6.8% in 2021, 6.6% in 2020 and 7.5% in 2019, according to official figures from Beijing.

At a press conference on March 4, National People's Congress spokesman Lou Jinjian stressed that "(China's) defense budget has remained below 1.5% of GDP for many years, lower than the global average."

"Safeguarding peace requires strength. A China with strong national defense can better safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, better fulfill its international responsibilities and obligations as a major power, and maintain world peace and stability," he said.

Responding to a question from The Straits Times on whether the slowing economy would affect defence spending and military modernisation, Mr Lau reiterated that the country's defence spending has remained in single digits for the past nine years.