Summary:
On Friday of last week, government officials in China came together and proposed a plan to increase military spending to about the equivalent of $91.3 billion in 2011. Chinese government officials insist, however, that the additional expenditures are solely for national defense and are not meant to pose a threat on any major world power or other country. Li Zhaoxing, the spokesman for the annual parliamentary session, assured that the country wants to "forge peaceful, stable, equal and mutually-trusting relations with its neighbors." Much of the extra defense money will be used for improving armaments, military training, and human resource development. As China has always proclaimed to have done, government officials plan to keep economic development their primary priority while leaving the military on the back burners. According to government officials, "China attaches great importance to friendly relations with neighbors. Seeking peace, cooperation, and development is a shared view of all Asian people." Even with a population of around 1.3 billion, China's military spending averages are well below international averages. China continues to maintain a ratio of military spending to GDP of around 2%. In comparison to the United States, Chinese military spending is dwarfed. The U.S. spends around $725 billion annually, while China spends less than $90 billion on its military.
Significance:
China's continuing desire to produce and create a world-class economy is present here. While the U.S. and many other nations spend large amounts of money on their respective armed forces in comparison to their economies, China focuses more on its economy. With over a billion people to feed, China cannot afford to spend huge amounts of money on its military. The idea of a "Rule by the Technocrats," is also manifest here. These government leaders, often engineers, have a tendency to "make things work." By looking past the need for a powerful military, these leaders think the country will prosper. Every figure and every proposal is carefully and meticulously looked through in order to maximize government power and benefits. The idea of a strong central government is also present here because the government itself is the driving force behind economic growth and stimulation. With very little private property and many government-owned industries, the government can effectively control what happens in the economic sector.
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