China to raise military spending

[Nicky G]

DOOMED!!!!

[Spacecadet]

Linky here China says it plans to increase military spending by nearly 18% this year to 417bn yuan ($59bn; £30bn).

The figure was revealed ahead of China's annual parliamentary session, which begins on Wednesday.

But experts believe the actual amount allocated to the Chinese military is two to three times larger than the published figure.

and on the other side of the world, the US spends close to half a trillion dollers per year on "defense"*
*Quotes cause last time I looked invasion != defense

[Ruprect]

Nostradamus said "I told you so"

[Mailman]

I think the otherside of this is that the Chinese military is also massively outdated...so they have to increase spending to bring the vast bulk of their armed forces in to the late 19th century

Mailman

[Spacecadet]

It just doesn't make sense.

Military spending = more jobs.
For a communist government the army is a simple way of absorbing the unemployed into employment.
Then theres all the factories making the guns and ammunition and other equipment.

Oh, and that pesky rebel island just off their coast

[Sockpuppet]

Either that or they could just be increasing the "published" figure to be more inline with the real figure.

[oracleslave]

Linky here China says it plans to increase military spending by nearly 18% this year to 417bn yuan ($59bn; £30bn).

The figure was revealed ahead of China's annual parliamentary session, which begins on Wednesday.

But experts believe the actual amount allocated to the Chinese military is two to three times larger than the published figure.

Critics also complain that China is not open enough about what it is spending the money on.

Most of this year's increase would be spent on increasing salaries and accommodating higher oil prices, said Jiang Enzhu, a spokesman for the National People's Congress.

He said spending on armaments would rise moderately

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I know, I know, NickyG will be having a field day with this one.

However, a thought did cross my mind.

If I was the most promising, rising industrialised nation on the earth, with the biggest army and nukes, and had nothing to worry about...why on earth would I want to further increase military spending on more soldiers, nukes, etc..when I had more than anyone else in the first place ?

It just doesn't make sense.

Or....does it ?

Take it away Nicky....

Take Nicky away

[Board Game Geek]

Linky here China says it plans to increase military spending by nearly 18% this year to 417bn yuan ($59bn; £30bn).

The figure was revealed ahead of China's annual parliamentary session, which begins on Wednesday.

But experts believe the actual amount allocated to the Chinese military is two to three times larger than the published figure.

Critics also complain that China is not open enough about what it is spending the money on.

Most of this year's increase would be spent on increasing salaries and accommodating higher oil prices, said Jiang Enzhu, a spokesman for the National People's Congress.

He said spending on armaments would rise moderately

---------------------------------------

I know, I know, NickyG will be having a field day with this one.

However, a thought did cross my mind.

If I was the most promising, rising industrialised nation on the earth, with the biggest army and nukes, and had nothing to worry about...why on earth would I want to further increase military spending on more soldiers, nukes, etc..when I had more than anyone else in the first place ?

It just doesn't make sense.

Or....does it ?

Take it away Nicky....