<p>China's 2021 defence spending will rise 6.8 per cent from 2020, according to a budget report issued at the opening of the country's annual meeting of parliament on Friday, up only slightly from the 6.6 per cent budgeted increase for last year.</p>.<p>China on Friday hiked its defence budget to $209 billion, maintaining a single-digit growth for the sixth consecutive year with a 6.8 per cent increase in 2021.</p>.<p>The budget hike was announced by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the country’s Parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC).</p>.<p>Defending the increase, Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the NPC, told the media here that China's efforts to strengthen the national defence do not target or threaten any country.</p>.<p>Whether a country poses a threat to others depends on what kind of defence policy it pursues, he said, adding that China is committed to the path of peaceful development and adheres to a defence policy that is defensive in nature.</p>.<p>Last year, China allocated 1.268 trillion yuan (about $196.44 billion), according to the state-run Global Times.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read |<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/chinas-parliament-opens-with-focus-on-hong-kong-democracy-958301.html" target="_blank"> China's parliament opens with focus on Hong Kong democracy</a></strong></p>.<p>China’s annual defence budget maintains a single-digit growth for a sixth consecutive year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.</p>.<p>This year's planned defence spending will be about 1.35 trillion yuan (about $209 billion), it said.</p>.<p>China's defence budget is about one quarter of the US figure, which is $740.5 billion for the 2021 fiscal year, it said.</p>.<p>As the world's second largest economy and the most populous country, China's planned defence spending per capita in 2021 will be less than 1,000 yuan ($154), it said.</p>.<p>China applies strict mechanisms of fiscal allocation and budget management on its defence expenditure, which is mainly assigned to personnel, training and sustainment, and equipment, it said.</p>.<p>China has voluntarily downsized its armed forces by over four million troops since 1978, according to a white paper released in 2019.</p>
<p>China's 2021 defence spending will rise 6.8 per cent from 2020, according to a budget report issued at the opening of the country's annual meeting of parliament on Friday, up only slightly from the 6.6 per cent budgeted increase for last year.</p>.<p>China on Friday hiked its defence budget to $209 billion, maintaining a single-digit growth for the sixth consecutive year with a 6.8 per cent increase in 2021.</p>.<p>The budget hike was announced by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the country’s Parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC).</p>.<p>Defending the increase, Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the NPC, told the media here that China's efforts to strengthen the national defence do not target or threaten any country.</p>.<p>Whether a country poses a threat to others depends on what kind of defence policy it pursues, he said, adding that China is committed to the path of peaceful development and adheres to a defence policy that is defensive in nature.</p>.<p>Last year, China allocated 1.268 trillion yuan (about $196.44 billion), according to the state-run Global Times.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read |<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/chinas-parliament-opens-with-focus-on-hong-kong-democracy-958301.html" target="_blank"> China's parliament opens with focus on Hong Kong democracy</a></strong></p>.<p>China’s annual defence budget maintains a single-digit growth for a sixth consecutive year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.</p>.<p>This year's planned defence spending will be about 1.35 trillion yuan (about $209 billion), it said.</p>.<p>China's defence budget is about one quarter of the US figure, which is $740.5 billion for the 2021 fiscal year, it said.</p>.<p>As the world's second largest economy and the most populous country, China's planned defence spending per capita in 2021 will be less than 1,000 yuan ($154), it said.</p>.<p>China applies strict mechanisms of fiscal allocation and budget management on its defence expenditure, which is mainly assigned to personnel, training and sustainment, and equipment, it said.</p>.<p>China has voluntarily downsized its armed forces by over four million troops since 1978, according to a white paper released in 2019.</p>