The Chinese Air Force is displaying its L15 Falcon trainer at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022. The country has reached an agreement to export the aircraft to the United Arab Emirates.
Edition of the future | Edition of the future | Getty Images
BEIJING — China is expected to increase defense spending by 7.2% this year to 1.56 trillion yuan ($230 billion), according to a plan released by the Ministry of Finance on Sunday.
China’s defense budget grew 7.1 percent last year to 1.45 trillion yuan, faster than the 6.8 percent increase in 2021 and 6.6 percent in 2020, according to official data.
In 2019, China’s defense spending rose 7.5% to 1.19 trillion yuan.
In a separate report Sunday on government work, Premier Li Keqiang did not mention the Russian-Ukrainian war. “We must remain committed to an independent foreign policy of peace,” the report said.
The work report calls for “resolute action to oppose ‘Taiwan independence'” while respecting Beijing’s call for “peaceful reunification”.
Taiwan is a democratically governed self-governing island that Beijing says is part of its territory.
