China boasts the world's second-largest defence spending after the United States.
In 2018, Beijing expected to boost defence expenditures by 8.1 percent year-on-year. In 2017, China’s military spending grew by only 7 percent, which was the slowest growth rate in seven years.
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China released the country's social and economic development plan on Tuesday.
Last year, the Chinese government announced a near 10% increase in their military budget for 2018. Chinese state media defended the decision, saying it is part of a modernization program, calling the increase "proportionate and low."