Any appearance of weakness in Xi on the world stage could imperil his grip on power within China Amid the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increased defence expenditure by 6.6%.
Although this increase is believed to be the lowest in three decades, the PRC’s decision to rev-up spending in the midst of a global health and economic crisis, which it ironically precipitated, demonstrates the importance it attaches to defence preparedness at a minimum, and its commitment to the pursuit of expansionist goals at a maximum, whether in the maritime or continental domain.
Three issues are worthy of consideration. First, how does the current increase compare with the budgetary increases of the past?