China on Wednesday increased its defense spending by 7.2% this year, the same growth rate as in the prior two years, as Beijing seeks to "firmly safeguard" its national security.

China said Wednesday it will increase its defense budget 7.2% this year, as it continues its campaign to build a larger, more modern military to assert its territorial claims and challenge the U.S ...

China says it will increase its defense budget 7.2% this year as it continues its campaign to build a larger, more modern military to assert its territorial claims and challenge the U.S. defense ...

BEIJING — China's defense spending will rise by 7.2 percent in 2025, the same as last year, Beijing said on Wednesday, as its armed forces undergo rapid modernization and eye deepening strategic ...

The U.S. Defense Department’s 2024 China Military Power Report estimated that China’s 2024 military budget was publicly understated by at least 40–90 percent.