MK sports emergency response, and comprehensive offensive and defensive operations. (Photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn) " src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-03-04/489bfc4e-e027-4975-95fb-ebfb217ef244.jpeg" />

Type 903A Comprehensive supply ship Kekexilihu (Hull 903) attached to a combat support ship flotilla under the Chinese PLA Navy provides liquid supply to Type 055 Destroyer Lhasa (Hull 102) via alongside replenishment-at-sea during a recent multi-subject maritime training exercise aiming to enhance the troops' capabilities of replenishment, emergency response, and comprehensive offensive and defensive operations. (Photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn)

The third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) will publish China's defense budget for this year, a spokesperson revealed on Tuesday, noting that China's defense spending has maintained single-digit growth for nine years running, and its share as a percentage of GDP has been kept under 1.5 percent for many years, lower than the global average.

Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th NPC, made the remarks at a press conference on Tuesday, a day ahead of the opening of the event on Wednesday, when asked about if China's economic development will affect its defense budget and military modernization, and how much an increase will people likely see this year.

Peace needs to be safeguarded with strength, and a China with strong national defense capabilities is in a better position to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests and better perform its international responsibilities and obligations as a major country and preserve world peace and stability, Lou said.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are not only the cornerstone of China's independent foreign policy of peace, but also open, inclusive and universally applicable basic norms of international relations, Lou said, noting that China stands ready to work with all countries to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and make new, greater contributions to maintaining world peace and promoting common development.

In 2024, China planned to spend 1.66554 trillion yuan ($234.5 billion) on defense, up 7.2 percent from the previous year, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

Chinese military affairs expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that China's defense budget has grown at a moderate and reasonable rate. He said that China's military expenditure generally aligns with the country's economic development and GDP growth.

Fu cited the need for national defense modernization and the challenging security environment China faces as key reasons for the increase in defense spending.

China's defense investments contribute to peace and stability in the region, Fu said, noting that the budget will enable the Chinese military to fulfill its international responsibilities and obligations through far-seas escort missions and humanitarian aid.

Comparing China's defense budget figures in recent years to global averages and other major powers, Fu again stressed China's defense spending remains restrained. For example, the US National Defense Authorization Act for 2025 increased the military budget to about $895 billion, several times that of China's. The US spends about 3.4 percent of GDP on defense, compared to China's less than 1.5 percent.

With similar views, Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that for years China's defense budgeting has been moderate and reasonable, as it balances both the country's national defense needs and its economic development.

In a turbulent world marked by growing instability, China needs to establish a powerful military to protect its sovereignty, security, and development interests, fulfill international responsibilities and obligations, safeguard world peace and deter threats of war, Zhang said.