CHINA
Defense budget for 2006
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-03-04 12:51
China's defense budget for this year is expected to be 283.8 billion yuan
(about US$35.1 billion), an increase of 14.7%, an official said at a
press conference in Beijing on Saturday, March 4.
This is the budget for 2006, to be submitted by the State Council to the
upcoming National People's Congress for deliberation and approval, said
Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for the Fourth Sessiono of the 10th NPC at the
press conference.
Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for the upcoming NPC session, speaks at a news
conference inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 4, 2006.
The National People's Congress will start its session on Sunday and
conclude it on March 14. [Reuters]
He said the budget will be used in the following four fields: wages and
welfare benefits for the military personnel; extra spending on fuel due
to international oil price hikes; personnel training; and appropriate
spending on military equipment and the military combating capacity.
Jiang said the proposed budget is a 14.7% increase over that of last
year. He further explained that the proportion of defense spending in the
national fiscal expenditure is roughly at the same level of the previous
years. In 2003, the proportion was 7.74%, in 2004, it was 7.72% and in
2005, it was 7.34%.
Despite of this reasonable increase, China's military spending is still
very low, as compared with other countries in the world.
In 2005, China's defense spending was US$30.2 billion or 1.36% of its
GDP. But in the United States, its military spending was US$401.7 billion
or 3.6% of its GDP; in Britain, US$48.8 billion or 2.59% of its GDP; in
Japan, US$45.3 billion; and in France, US$36.5 billion or 1.98% of its
GDP.
Jiang said China is peace-loving country and is taking a road of peaceful
development. China has no intention or capacity to pursue a high-speed
development of its military equipment.
<br
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
� Bird flu control long-term task: Vice Premier
� Top legislature mulls abolishing agricultural tax regulation
� Hebei court hears deadly land dispute case
� Top legislature mulls abolishing agricultural tax regulation
� Top legislature mulls abolishing agricultural tax regulation
Today's Top News
� Commercial bribes of top concern
� Organ transplant regulation drafted
� Minister: China risks environmental disaster
� Action to recover lost relics to begin in May
� Single-kids too pampered to accept job
Top China News
� Commercial bribes of top concern
� Organ transplant regulation drafted
� Minister: China risks environmental disaster
Learn mandarin
No comments:
Post a Comment