China Moderates Defense Spending Growth Amid Long-Term Modernization Goals

China has announced a 7% increase in its 2026 defense budget, marking the slowest growth rate in five years. This shift reflects a strategic pivot toward sustainable military modernization efforts aimed at achieving national defense goals by 2035.

9 articles·March 3 – March 6, 2026

Key Points

China announced a 7% increase in its 2024 defense budget, reaching 1.91 trillion yuan.
This budget growth represents the slowest rate of increase for the country since 2022.
The spending hike supports President Xi Jinping's long-term goal of military modernization by 2035.
China's defense expenditure now accounts for approximately one-third of the total U.S. military budget.

9 News·3 days ago – Today

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