China Boosts 2026 Defense Spending 7% to $275bn
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- China's defense spending is rising, contradicting its stated defensive‑policy stance.
- 2026 budget is projected to increase by 7.0 percent year‑on‑year.
- Li Qiang told the National People’s Congress that the 2026 defense budget would total 1.9 trillion yuan.
- 1.9 trillion yuan translates to roughly $275 billion in U.S. dollars.
Why it matters: The 7 % jump to a $275 bn defense budget signals China is allocating far more resources to its military, strengthening its defense industry while deepening security concerns for neighboring states that view the claim of a defensive policy as hollow today.
