China will raise its defense budget in 2022 by 7.1% to $229 billion, up from a 6.8% increase from the previous year. The announcement on Saturday marks a continuation of the robust spending that has given China an increasingly powerful military.
The Chinese government has the second-largest defense budget in the world, making it possible for it to produce the world’s largest standing military with 3 million troops and an arsenal of advanced weaponry that includes two aircraft carriers, along with more on the way, as well as stealth fighters, advanced missiles, and nuclear submarines.
Even though China’s economy is slowing and the government is in debt, it has committed to modernizing and expanding its armed forces. This is partly because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
According to the Chinese government, the majority of the increased expenditures are for improving the welfare of army personnel. Observers say that the budget omits much of China’s spending on weaponry, most of which is developed domestically.
