On March 5, the second session of the 14th National People's Congress opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The meeting reviewed the "Draft Budget of the People's Republic of China for 2024 and Local Budget"1, of which the national financial arrangement for national defense expenditure in 2024 is 16,655400 million yuan, an increase of 7 over the previous year2%, the same increase as last year. This is the ninth consecutive year that China's defense spending has maintained single-digit growth.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Minister of Finance Liu Kun said at the meeting that the increase in national defense spending in 2024 is to thoroughly implement the idea of strengthening the army, strengthen financial guarantees, comprehensively promote the modernization of national defense and the army, and consolidate and improve the integrated national strategic system and capabilities.
Liu Kun also pointed out that China's national defense expenditure has always been maintained at a reasonable and stable level, and it has always been relatively low in terms of its proportion in GDP, in its proportion in state fiscal expenditure, and in terms of national defense expenditure per capita and military personnel.
So, what are the reasons and significance of the increase in China's defense spending in 2024? The reporter interviewed a number of relevant experts and military observers in an attempt to interpret it from multiple angles.
First, from the perspective of the international security situation, the increase in China's defense spending in 2024 is to respond to increasingly complex and severe security challenges, safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fulfill international responsibilities and obligations.
In an interview with the Global Times, military expert Song Zhongping said that at present, the world is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, with intensified geopolitical competition, profound changes in the international strategic pattern, frequent local wars and conflicts, prominent non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, cybersecurity, and biosecurity, a complex and changeable international security environment, and an increase in unstable and uncertain factors.
Song Zhongping pointed out that China, as the largest developing country in the world and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is facing many security threats and challenges, and needs to be guaranteed by a strong national defense and military. On the one hand, China needs to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and territorial maritime rights and interests, and respond to external interference and provocations on issues such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and its borders. On the other hand, China should safeguard its national development interests, protect its overseas interests and the security of its nationals, participate in international and regional affairs, maintain world peace and stability, and fulfill its responsibilities and obligations as a major country.
Song Zhongping believes that the increase in China's defense expenditure in 2024 is to adapt to the changes in the international security situation, strengthen the modernization of national defense and the army, improve the strategic capabilities of national defense and the army, build a modern army that meets the needs of the country, and create a favorable security environment for the country's peaceful development.
Second, from the perspective of domestic economic and social development, the increase in China's defense expenditure in 2024 is to adhere to the principle of coordinated development of national defense and economic construction, promote the simultaneous improvement of national defense and economic strength, and provide a strong guarantee for the country's long-term peace and stability and national rejuvenation.
In an interview with the Global Times, Professor of Finance Liu Shangxi said that China's national defense expenditure has always been based on the country's economic and social development level, guided by national defense needs, and guaranteed by national financial resources, so as to achieve coordinated development of national defense construction and economic construction, and avoid the negative impact of excessive or low military spending on national development.
Liu Shangxi pointed out that the growth of China's defense expenditure in 2024 is a reasonable arrangement made on the basis of the sustained and healthy development of the country's economy and society, according to the changes in national defense needs and national financial resources, which will neither crowd out people's livelihood expenditures nor cause excessive fiscal deficits, but will help promote the simultaneous improvement of national defense strength and economic strength, and provide a strong guarantee for the country's long-term peace and stability and national rejuvenation.
Liu Shangxi believes that the growth of China's defense spending in 2024 is also to promote national defense science and technology innovation, strengthen the development of military-civilian integration, improve the country's comprehensive national strength and competitiveness, and inject new impetus into national development. He said that the increase in national defense spending can not only increase the research and development and procurement of national defense equipment and improve the modernization level of national defense and the armed forces, but also promote innovation and breakthroughs in national defense science and technology, and provide support for the country's scientific and technological progress and economic transformation and upgrading. At the same time, the growth of national defense spending can also strengthen the development of military-civilian integration, promote the sharing and optimal allocation of national defense resources and civilian resources, and provide services for the country's economic and social development.
Finally, from the perspective of international comparison, the increase in China's defense spending in 2024 is to maintain a moderate level of defense spending, avoid an arms race, demonstrate China's concept of peaceful development, and contribute to world peace and stability.
In an interview with the Global Times, Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations, said that China's defense spending has remained at a moderate level, both in terms of international and historical comparisons.