China to raise defense budget by 7.2 percent this year | Video

Beijing, Mar 5 (EFE/EPA).- China in its draft budget presented to the annual National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, announced on Tuesday that it would raise its annual defense by 7.2 percent this year to 1,665 trillion yuan ($231.352 billion).

The defense budget, which was also increased by 7.2 percent in 2023, has been announced amid tensions in the South China Sea and the focus on Taiwan, an island that Beijing claims as its own.

Tensions have been especially significant with the Philippines, which strengthened its military alliance with Washington to curb China's expansionist ambitions. (Camera: WU HAO/ ANDRES MARTINEZ).

FOOTAGE OF THE 14TH NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF CHINA AT THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE IN BEIJING, CHINA.

Metadata

Date: 05/03/2024 05:47 (UTC)
Credit: EFE
Source: EPA
Topic: Politics
Type: Ready-to-use
Duration: 58 seconds
Reference: 7001342253
Relevance: Normal