China boosts defence spending

China’s defence spending looks set to increase at the fastest rate for three years as President Xi Jinping pursues a “world-class” military, capable of reaching far beyond his country’s borders


China’s publicly disclosed defence budget ($ billions)*
Figures in italics indicate increase over previous year

70.3	77.9	91.5	106.4	114.3	132.0	144.0	146.0	164.6
14.9	7.5	12.7	11.2	10.7	12.2	10.1	7.6	7.0

09 	10 	11 	12 	13 	14 	15 	16 	17 	18

2018 budget: $175bn 
8.1% increase


*Pentagon and global arms bodies estimate actual spending may be 40-50 percent higher than published amount


$639bn
U.S. proposed
defence budget
for 2018 more
than three times
that of China

$175bn
China
 

Sources: Chinese government, Bloomberg 
Picture: Newscom 
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