China's military spending, a point of contention with the United States, will jump 17.8 percent this year, the spokesman for the National People's Congress said Sunday.
Jiang said most of the money would be spent on boosting wages and living allowances for members of the 2.5 million-strong People's Liberation Army, and on upgrading armaments.
He did not give further details.
Experts believe the true military budget could be several times what the government has said it is, since spending has risen by double digits annually in recent years.
Well, at least they're pretending to be raising the benefits (I actually really do think they are). But this also appears to be positioning them to hold the upper hand in future "negotiations."
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