China lowers defence budget growth
----------------------------------------
China’s 2020 defence spending will rise 6.6 percent to 1.3 trillion yuan ($180 billion), the lowest growth rate in years as it battles an economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus outbreak
----------------------------------------
CHINA’S PUBLICLY DISCLOSED DEFENCE BUDGET* 
(billion yuan)

J-20 stealth jet

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 = $5bn


2013  720 10.7
2014  808 12.2
2015  887 10.1 
2016  954  7.6
2017 1,044 7.0
2018 1,107  8.1
2019 1,190  7.5
2020 1,268  6.6

= $5bn

United States: 732
China: 261
India: 71
----------------------------------------
Figures in italics indicate increase over previous year

*Pentagon and global arms bodies estimate actual spending may be 40-50 percent higher than publicly disclosed amounts

TOP DEFENCE SPENDERS IN 2019 ($ billion)
China’s estimated spend was almost 1.5 times larger than official figure, but still dwarfed by U.S. military outlay
----------------------------------------
Sources: AP, Global Times, SIPRI Picture: Flickr / Chinese Internet © GRAPHIC NEWS