China defends massive growth in military spending
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Delegates from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) march from Tiananmen Square to the Great Hall of the People to attend sessions of the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, China, Monday, March 4, 2013. China is defending its booming military spending, saying its vast investments in the armed forces have contributed to global peace and stability. -- PHOTO: AP
BEIJING (AP) - China defended its booming military spending on Monday, saying vast investments in the armed forces have contributed to global peace and stability, despite concerns among the US and Beijing’s Asian neighbours over sharpening territorial disputes.
However, in a break with previous years, no figure for this year’s defence budget was presented at a news conference held on Monday, the eve of the annual legislative session.
Spokesman Fu Ying said the figure would appear in the overall budget to be released on Tuesday.
Approving the budget is among the key tasks of the session, which this year will see new leaders placed into top government positions after they were elevated at November’s Communist Party congress.
