CHINA RAISES DEFENSE BUDGET BY 15% FOR 2009

DEFENSE BUDGET OF CHINA 1996-2007

5th March 2009,
Beijing

China, a communist country increases its defense budget by $9.1 billion. The total estimate of defense budget in China for 2009 is $70.2 billion. This heavy is far off from the defense budget $20.6 billion of India in 2008-09. Li Zhaoxing, the spokesman of China's Parliament tola that the increase in defense budget is only to safeguard the country and for peaceful purposes. The increase in budget is not to threat any of the country. He also pointed out that China reports its defense budget to UN Organisation since 2007. China expenditure in Military is to safeguard and maintain soverignity and territorial integrity of China.

Li reported that the expenditutre for defense is 6.3 % of the government's buget and 1.41 % of China's gross product. He has also stated that the expenditure is very less when compared to other countries like US spending 4% and both Britain & France spending 2% of country gross national product.

However the vast and sudden increase in China's defense budget remains an indirect threat to other countries and especially to China's neighbour countries.