China’s military spending up sharply

In announcing the budget outlook for 2023 before the National People’s Congress on Sunday March 5, the Chinese Prime Minister called for the intensification of army training. A nationalist message addressed to the Chinese people, but also to China’s neighbors and rivals around the world.

In front of the 3,000 Chinese deputies gathered at the People’s Palace, Li Keqiang evokes Beijing’s claim to Taiwan by speaking of a “process of peaceful reunification of the fatherland”. In presenting the defense budget which reaches 225 billion dollars, the Chinese Prime Minister also speaks of training and “combat readiness” a formula that raises questions in a tense international context.

China’s military spending – up sharply – remains officially three and a half times lower than that of the United States. But in reality a large part of the Chinese defense budget goes under the radar. Research on missiles or cyber defense, for example, would be presented as civilian expenditure. Whatever the method of calculation, the 225 billion allocated to the People’s Liberation Army make it the second largest military budget in the world and with ambitious prospects. Beijing has just presented in a video its sixth-generation combat aircraft project, the J-20 supposed to enter service in 2035 and which would be capable of firing hypersonic missiles.

Concerning investments?

China’s rising defense budget is a far more telling indicator than rhetoric. Of course, there is Taiwan, which is China’s favorite target. Chinese aircraft incursions near Taiwan’s airspace have almost doubled in 2022. Pressure that is increasing and to which the United States respond with an increased naval and air presence in the region. Washington is also concerned about the deployment of Chinese military assets in the Indo-Pacific zone.

Several countries such as India, Japan and the Philippines are also worried about China’s desire to beef up its military resources. For the moment the deployment of the Chinese army in the world is limited, its largest base abroad – like that of France – is in Djibouti. Another subject of extreme vigilance for Westerners, after this announcement of the increase in the Chinese defense budget, is China’s ability – if it decides to do so – to supply arms to Russia. So far Beijing denies having done so or intending to do so.