China Defends Growing Military Budget Before Annual Congress
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The nation’s overall fiscal budget, including military spending, as well as its economic growth target for this year will be announced on Sunday.
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China needs to increase its military budget to meet “complex security challenges,” a top Chinese official said, amid rising geopolitical tensions with the US.
“The increase in defense spending is needed for meeting the complex security challenges and for China to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country,” said Wang Chao, spokesman of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislative body. He spoke at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday, a day before the official kickoff of the key political event.