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Japan concerned over China's defence budget
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara has said that a close look was required to evaluate China's assertions that its military modernisation was of defensive and not offensive character. Voicing concern over the size of China's latest defence budget, Mr. Maehara said:
In the light of the scale of Gross Domestic Product of China, which has become the second largest economy in the world by overtaking Japan, even two per cent of such GDP represents a considerable amount.
Responding to questions on Beijing's official version, Mr. Maehara said in Tokyo that it would be necessary for China to enhance transparency about matters relating to the rising profile of the People's Liberation Army. It would be necessary to request China to explain what for very high defence expenditure [was being allocated].
It was understood that China has been constructing an aircraft carrier, although the timing of its deployment is not known. Noting that China was also developing stealth fighters, he said all these programmes made him wonder what the assumption behind such [military] modernisation was about.
The Hindu : News / International : Japan concerned over China's defence budget
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara has said that a close look was required to evaluate China's assertions that its military modernisation was of defensive and not offensive character. Voicing concern over the size of China's latest defence budget, Mr. Maehara said:
In the light of the scale of Gross Domestic Product of China, which has become the second largest economy in the world by overtaking Japan, even two per cent of such GDP represents a considerable amount.
Responding to questions on Beijing's official version, Mr. Maehara said in Tokyo that it would be necessary for China to enhance transparency about matters relating to the rising profile of the People's Liberation Army. It would be necessary to request China to explain what for very high defence expenditure [was being allocated].
It was understood that China has been constructing an aircraft carrier, although the timing of its deployment is not known. Noting that China was also developing stealth fighters, he said all these programmes made him wonder what the assumption behind such [military] modernisation was about.
The Hindu : News / International : Japan concerned over China's defence budget