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China to raise military spending China to raise military spending
(about 3 hours later)
China says it plans to increase military spending by nearly 18% this year to 417.8bn yuan ($59bn; £30bn). China says it plans to increase military spending by nearly 18% this year, to 417.8bn yuan ($59bn; £30bn).
The figure was revealed ahead of China's annual parliamentary session, which begins on Wednesday.The figure was revealed ahead of China's annual parliamentary session, which begins on Wednesday.
But experts believe the actual amount allocated to the Chinese military is two to three times larger than the published figure. Other nations have expressed concern about China's growing military power, and say Beijing is not open enough about what it is spending its money on.
Critics also complain that China is not open enough about what it is spending the money on. Washington claims that the real Chinese defence budget is at least double the stated amount.
Most of this year's increase would be spent on increasing salaries and accommodating higher oil prices, said Jiang Enzhu, a spokesman for the National People's Congress. In an annual Pentagon report released hours before China's defence spending announcement, the US highlighted particular concern over Chinese activities in both space and cyberspace.
He said spending on armaments would rise only moderately. 'No threat'
"China pursues a national defence policy that is defensive in nature," Mr Jiang said. Most of this year's military increase will be spent on increasing salaries and accommodating higher oil prices, according to Jiang Enzhu, a spokesman for China's National People's Congress, which begins its annual meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Jiang said spending on armaments would rise only moderately.
China says its military spending is solely for the defence purposes"China pursues a national defence policy that is defensive in nature," he said.
"China's limited military capability is solely for the purpose of safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and does not pose a threat to any other country.""China's limited military capability is solely for the purpose of safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and does not pose a threat to any other country."
He added that China spent less on defence, as a proportion of GDP, than the US, UK, France and Russia.He added that China spent less on defence, as a proportion of GDP, than the US, UK, France and Russia.
But the international community remains concerned.
This year's rise in military spending "will mark the 20th consecutive year that the Chinese military budget has increased by double digits," Japan's defence ministry said in a statement.
It called on China to "address the concerns of the international community".
US officials are particularly worried that China's growing military might could be aimed at Taiwan, a self-governing island which Beijing sees as part of its territory.
Beijing has threatened military attack if Taiwan declares independence, and the island's 22 March presidential election will be watched closely by the authorities on the mainland.
Cyber-space concerns
The US defence department released its annual report on Chinese military power on Monday evening.
The report said that China was developing weapons that would disable its enemies' space technology - such as satellites - in the event of a conflict.
It expressed concern about China's decision to shoot down a defunct weather satellite in a test in January 2007.
Last year China denied reports it hacked into Pentagon computersIt also said that "numerous" cyber intrusions into computer networks around the world, including some owned by the US administration, apparently originated in China.
David Sedney, a senior China specialist at the Pentagon, told reporters there was no call for US alarm, but he said that Washington was keen for Beijing to be clearer about the reasons behind its expanding military costs.
"I think the biggest thing for people to be concerned about, really, is the fact that we don't have that kind of strategic understanding of the Chinese intentions," he said. "And that leads to uncertainty."
In its report, the Pentagon estimated that China's total military spending in 2007 was between $97bn and $139bn.
Last month, the Bush administration requested $515bn for the next US fiscal year, not including extra spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
There has recently been some progress in US-Chinese military relations, including the installation of a joint telephone hotline.