On March 5, the draft budget submitted at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress showed that:The 2024 national fiscal arrangement for defense spending budget is 16,655400 million yuan, an increase of 72%。
This is the ninth consecutive year that China's defense budget has maintained single-digit growth, and the year-on-year growth rate has remained the same as last year.
The moderate increase in national defense spending is to better meet the basic needs of China's armament and combat training, strengthening modernization, and enhancing information-based combat capability.
The purpose of national defense and military spending has been disclosed in "China's National Defense in the New Era".China's national defense expenditure is divided by purpose, and is mainly composed of personnel living expenses, training and maintenance expenses, and equipment expenses.
Personnel subsistence expensesIt is used for the salaries, allowances, meals, bedding, insurance, welfare, bereavement pensions, etc. of officers, civilian cadres, soldiers, and non-active personnel hired by the army, as well as retired cadres supported by the army.
Training maintenance feeIt is used for troop training, college education, construction and maintenance of engineering facilities, and other daily consumable expenditures.
Equipment feeIt is used for the research, testing, procurement, maintenance, transportation, storage and so on of the equipment.
The scope of national defense expenditure includes active forces, reserve forces, and militia. In recent years, the national defense budget has continued to grow, and the living conditions and welfare of relevant military personnel have also been improved and enhanced.
For example, in recent years, the increase in the salary and treatment of military personnel, the payment of alimony for military parents over the age of 60, the issuance of honorary payments for military spouses, the comprehensive promotion of free medical treatment for military spouses and children, and the preferential medical treatment of other military dependents, etc., have significantly improved the welfare of military personnel.
At present, the international security environment facing China is particularly severe and complex, and China's defense spending has generally maintained a reasonable and steady growth in defense spending. Judging from the amount announced in March 2024, compared with last year's defense expenditure budget, this year's defense and military spending will increase by the same proportion as last year.
In order to resolutely defend the country's sovereignty, security and development interests, to earnestly fulfill international responsibilities and obligations, and to maintain world peace and stability, we must forge an indestructible and powerful army.